Pubdate: Wed, 08 Apr 2015
Source: Alaska Dispatch News (AK)
Copyright: 2015 Alaska Dispatch Publishing
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18
Note: Anchorage Daily News until July '14
Author: Laurel Andrews

'CRITICAL' BILL CREATING MARIJUANA CONTROL BOARD MAKES LITTLE 
PROGRESS IN JUNEAU

The public has kept a watchful eye on the marijuana crime bill 
circulating in Alaska's Legislature, but regulators and industry 
supporters say another piece of legislation in the works is far more 
important to the creation of a regulated marijuana industry.

Currently in the House Judiciary Committee, House Bill 123 would 
create a Marijuana Control Board tasked with crafting regulations and 
ensuring that marijuana businesses work within those laws.

The bill also contains an essential aspect of regulating the 
burgeoning industry: money.

Tucked inside the bill is a fiscal note to the tune of $1.57 million. 
The funding would allow for the expansion of the Alcoholic Beverage 
Control Board's staff and resources, as the Marijuana Control Board 
would share the ABC Board's staff and director.

To forgo additional funding would be in essence a "de facto repeal" 
of the initiative, ABC Board director Cynthia Franklin said.

Without funding, the ABC Board would be faced with an "unfunded 
mandate," unable to do the job demanded by the voters, Franklin said. 
Such a scenario could lead to lawsuits.

Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation spokesman Bruce 
Schulte said industry supporters were "going to make sure 
(legislators) are aware of how critical" the bill is, and that some 
people "may not appreciate the implication of funding that board."

Franklin and Schulte agreed that the bill is the most important 
marijuana-related legislation this session.

'Full faith'

When Alaska's marijuana initiative went into effect on Feb. 24, it 
gave the Legislature the power to create a Marijuana Control Board. 
If no board is created, it's up to the ABC Board to create the 
regulations. Either way, the board would still need additional 
funding to regulate a new substance, Franklin said.

Initially, Gov. Bill Walker requested additional funding in the 
operating budget, but a finance subcommittee requested that money be 
sought in a separate bill. Walker introduced HB 123 on Feb. 23.

A Marijuana Control Board would be composed of five volunteer members 
who would share the staff and director of the ABC Board. Board 
members would serve three-year terms.

"We have full faith that it is the intent of the Legislature to 
allocate some money," said Micaela Fowler, legislative liaison for 
the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. 
Fowler said it is "very important" that the money be allocated.

According to Fowler, additional funding would cover new expenses such 
as enforcement officers, setting up a computer database and the costs 
of more licensing staff.

HB 123 would also give the board power to shut down businesses 
operating illegally. On Monday, Franklin spoke of the necessity of 
enforcement and told legislators that three businesses in the state 
were already operating without licenses.

"I guess we'd call it the Charlo clause," joked Rep. Charisse 
Millett, R-Anchorage, referencing Anchorage 
reporter-turned-marijuana-club-owner Charlo Greene.

Slow progress

The bill has slowly been making its way through the House. It was 
taken up by the House Labor and Commerce Committee in early March and 
was passed to the Judiciary Committee on March 30.

On Monday, the bill was held in the House Judiciary Committee after 
about an hour of discussion.

Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux said that she had intended to pass the bill 
through during Monday's meeting. Citing lingering questions on some 
of the bill's language, she held it over to the next committee meeting.

When asked about the bill's trajectory through the Legislature, 
LeDoux replied that she was "just taking it one step at a time. I 
think that we'll be able to get it out of my committee." She declined 
to speculate on whether the bill would pass through other committees 
or the full House.

With 12 days left in this year's session, the bill still needs to 
pass through the House Finance Committee before a vote on the House 
floor and would then head over to the Senate. And as the session 
comes to a close, "things are going to get more jammed up" in the 
Finance Committee, LeDoux said.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, expressed pessimism on the 
bill's progress. "On the Senate side, it really feels like the air 
has been let out on the (marijuana) issue," he said.

"The collective will on marijuana is just not there," Wielechowski said.

HB 123 will likely be discussed in the House Judiciary Committee 
again later in the week, LeDoux said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom