Pubdate: Sat, 22 Sep 2012
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2012 The Billings Gazette
Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515
Author: Charles S. Johnson

Gazette State Poll

VOTERS FAVOR NEW MARIJUANA LAW, 44% TO 31%

HELENA - Montana voters support the more restrictive medical 
marijuana law and strongly back a ballot issue requiring girls under 
age 16 to get parental consent before having an abortion, a new 
Gazette State Poll shows.

They also favor another ballot issue that would deny state services 
to "illegal aliens."

Mason Dixon Polling & Research Inc. took the poll Monday through 
Wednesday for the Gazette State Bureau, interviewing 625 registered 
voters who said they were likely to vote in November. The poll has a 
margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points, although the 
margin rises with subgroups like gender.

Here's a look at the three questions polled:

- -- Medical marijuana. Initiative Referendum 124 will appear on the 
Nov. 6 ballot. Voters will decide whether to keep the more 
restrictive medical marijuana law passed by the 2011 Legislature or 
reject it and go back to the voter-approved 2004 initiative that 
legalized the use of marijuana for some medical purposes.

The Republican majorities passed the more stringent law, Senate Bill 
423, in response to skyrocketing numbers of people obtaining medical 
marijuana cards, large wholesale growing operations and storefront 
dispensaries that sprung up in some cities. Democratic Gov. Brian 
Schweitzer let it become law without his signature. Medical marijuana 
advocates criticized the law as overly harsh.

After the Legislature passed the new law, medical marijuana advocates 
collected more than 35,000 signatures to put it on the ballot as a referendum.

Montanans will vote for Initiative Referendum 124 if they want to 
keep the 2011 law and against it if they choose to reject the law and 
go back to the 2004 initiative. SB423 repealed the initiative.

Poll results showed 44 percent are for IR-124 to keep the 2011 law, 
while 31 percent are against, with 25 percent undecided.

Broken down by gender, the poll showed 46 percent of men favor 
IR-124, while 37 percent oppose it, with 17 percent undecided. Among 
women, 42 percent back IR-124, with 25 percent opposing it and 33 
percent undecided.

By political party, Republicans back IR-124 by 52 percent to 31 
percent, with 17 percent undecided. Democrats were split, 33 percent 
to 32 percent, with 35 percent undecided. Independents favored IR-124 
by 46 percent to 31 percent, with 23 percent undecided.

- -- Parental notification for minors getting abortions. Legislative 
Referendum 120 prohibits a physician from performing an abortion on a 
girl under age 16 unless the doctor notifies a parent or guardian at 
least 48 hours before the procedure. The measure waives the need for 
consent if there is a medical emergency, it is waived by a youth 
court in a sealed proceeding or if it is waived by the parent or guardian.

A doctor who performs abortions on minors in violation of this 
measure is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability.

The measure was passed as a legislative referendum by the 
Republican-controlled Legislature. As a legislative referendum, it 
did not need to go to Schweitzer for a possible veto.

A Montana court in 1999 struck down as similar law as unconstitutional.

The poll showed 65 percent of voters support LR-120, while 28 percent 
oppose it, with 7 percent undecided.

By gender, 74 percent of men favor LR-120, with 19 percent opposed 
and 7 percent undecided. Among women, 57 percent support LR-120, 
while 36 percent are against it and 7 percent are undecided.

By political party, 91 percent of Republicans back LR-120, with 7 
percent against it and 2 percent undecided.

Fifty percent of Democrats oppose LR-120, while 39 percent back it, 
with 11 percent undecided.

Independents favor LR-120 by 64 percent to 27 percent, with 9 percent 
undecided.

- -- "Illegal aliens". Legislative Referendum 121 prohibits the state 
from providing state services to people who aren't U.S. citizens or 
who have illegally entered or illegally remained in the United States.

It was passed by the GOP-controlled 2011 Legislature as a legislative 
referendum and went directly on the ballot, avoiding a possible veto 
by Schweitzer.

Poll results showed 57 percent of people favor denying state services 
to "illegal aliens," while 29 percent oppose it, and 14 percent are undecided.

Both men and women favor LR-121. Men do by 64 percent to 28 percent, 
while women do by 51 percent to 30 percent, with the rest undecided.

Republicans strongly support the measure by 86 percent to 8 percent, 
while most Democrats are against it, 56 percent to 22 percent. The 
remaining voters were undecided.

Independents back LR-121 by 61 percent to 25 percent, with the rest uncertain.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom