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HEARINGS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA REFORM BEGIN THURSDAY

State Rep.  John Walsh said Wednesday the House Judiciary Committee will begin a series of hearings Thursday, Feb.  23, on a four-bill package to clarify the 2008 law addressing medical marijuana.

"The intent of the voters was not to allow the back-door legalization of marijuana when this issue was on the ballot, and our intent is to close loopholes in the law," said Walsh, R-Livonia, chair of the committee.

The Feb.  23 hearing will include a presentation by the bipartisan work group on medical marijuana headed by Reps.  Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth, and Phil Cavanagh, D-Redford Township.  Walsh empaneled the group during the summer and the work group has been meeting with interested parties for months to address the proposed changes.

The hearings, in Room 519 of the House Office Building, focus on:

* House Bill 4834, a measure requiring photo ID for registered patients and limited access by law enforcement to the medical marijuana registry;

* House Bill 4851, requiring a bona fide doctor-patient relationship to end the current practice of doctors certifying patients without even seeing the patients in person;

* House Bill 4853, amending sentencing guidelines for some marijuana-related crimes; and

* House Bill 4856, which clarifies rules involving transportation of medical marijuana in a vehicle.

"These measures are necessary to eliminate the ambiguities in the law so that legitimate patients have safe access to medical marijuana," Walsh said.  "The changes also will give municipalities and law enforcement officials a clear framework in which to administer the intent of the law."

Hearings on the distribution process of medical marijuana will be conducted at a later date, Walsh said.