Pubdate: Tue, 11 Sep 2012
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: John Ingold

JUDGE PREDICTS QUICK END TO FLAP OVER POT LANGUAGE IN BLUE BOOK

Supporters of a measure to legalize limited possession of marijuana
will get a second chance to convince a judge that the language in the
state's voter guide should be changed to better reflect their arguments.

As the voter guide went to the printer Monday, a court hearing in
Denver on whether a legislative committee unfairly struck key
arguments in favor of the measure ended without resolution.

Richard Kaufman, an attorney representing the Colorado Legislative
Council, which prints the voter guide, urged Denver District Senior
Judge Leonard Plank to throw out the case. Kaufman said separation of
powers precludes Plank from making any changes to the voter guide.

Plank set a hearing for Wednesday afternoon for both sides to debate
the jurisdiction question.

Kaufman agreed, meanwhile, that the voter guide-known as the blue
book-would not be printed until after that hearing. The proofing
process would likely preclude printing before then anyway.

Kaufman, though, said the state must start printing the blue book by
Wednesday evening if it is to get the 1.9 million copies of the guide
in the mail by Oct. 5, as required by law.

"I believe this will be resolved Wednesday," Plank
said.

Amendment 64 would legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana
for adults for any purpose and would allow people to grow up to six
marijuana plants in their homes.

The blue book is intended to be an impartial look at the initiatives
on the ballot. For each measure, the guide contains arguments for and
against.

At a meeting last week of the Legislative Council Committee, at which
lawmakers gave the guide a final OK, the committee took out language
arguing in favor of the initiative that said marijuana is safer than
alcohol and that penalties for marijuana crimes are too severe.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt