Pubdate: Sun, 20 Mar 2005
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM)
Copyright: 2005 The Santa Fe New Mexican
Contact:  http://www.sfnewmexican.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/695
Author: Steve Terrell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL FAILS

A Republican supporter of a bill that would allow sufferers
of certain serious diseases to use marijuana made a last-minute
- -- literally -- attempt to pass the bill that sat for days on the House
calendar as a result of a political dispute over an unrelated bill.

Though the move was unexpected, it wouldn't have been impossible to
push the bill through. In the closing minutes of the session -- which,
according to the state constitution, ended at noon -- the House took
action on several bills.

However, the attempt to revive Senate Bill 795 was stopped cold by
House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambe, who said, "This is a very
controversial item. We probably need a three-hour debate."

Then House Majority Leader Kenny Martinez of Grants moved to adjourn
the session.

Medical marijuana was one of this session's most glaring examples of
how bills can be delayed, held hostage and even killed as a result of
political spats between lawmakers.

In this case, Rep. Dan Silva, D-Albuquerque, admitted this week he was
working to hold up SB 795 until the Senate Judiciary Committee heard a
bill of his dealing with impact fees on Albuquerque developers.

The connection was Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, the chairman of
the judiciary committee as well as the sponsor of the
medical-marijuana bill.

Silva's bill never got heard. And even though McSorley's bill was on
the House Floor Calendar for six days last week, there was no mention
of it on the House floor until Foley's motion.

The speaker of the House has the authority to decide when bills get
heard on the floor.

Lujan said Saturday that Rep. Henry "Kiki" Saavedra, D-Albuquerque,
who was carrying the bill in the House for McSorley, asked for the
bill to be passed over.

Saavedra was a co-sponsor of Silva's impact-fees bill. Both Saavedra
and Silva have sons who worked as lobbyists advocating Silva's bill.

Lujan said medical-marijuana advocates never spoke to him about
getting the bill heard. Asked if that would have swayed him to hear
it, Lujan said, "It would have helped."

Reena Szczepanski, director of the New Mexico Drug Policy Alliance,
said she and others contacted the speaker's office several times last
week.

Lujan wouldn't say if he'd have voted for SB 795. But Gov. Bill
Richardson said Saturday he would have signed it.

"The House chose not to help dying people," McSorley said Saturday.
"It was money over mercy."
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MAP posted-by: Derek