Marijauana Decriminalization bill is ACTIVE IN WASHINGTON STATE! (H.B. 1177)

[JCrohn]

ive already spread the word and got some new registerers (sp?) for the ballot!! spread THE WORD!

[felinegreenies]

UPDATE REQUIRED!! The Washington State Senate has created a companion bill SB 5615 that will also reclassify the possession of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor to a class 2 civil infraction!

This is a BBBIIIIIGGG step for not only Washington state, but for MANKIND! Let our voices be heard! Here's my LENGTHY shpeal on HB 1177 and SB 5615:




Please support House Bill 1177 and Senate Bill 5615!!

What do these bills fight for? :

Reclassifying possession of forty grams or less of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a class 2 civil infraction.

= Up to a $100 fine for carrying over an oz (28g) of weed, if caught by the law.




To make a difference, email Washington State House and Senate Representatives and let them know the cause you stand for! And also help Washington State save up to 7.5 million dollars a year that comes straight from the taxpayers!

House Representatives Upthegrove, Williams, Moeller, Appleton, Pedersen, Ormsby, Dickerson, Carlyle, Roberts, Wood, Cody, and Nelson of Washington State currently sponsor of HB 1177! woot woot. Now let's convince the rest of them to follow suit! Please refer to the list of all 98 members of the Washington State House Members here:

http://www1.leg.wa.gov/House/Representatives/

Senators Kohl-Welles, Kline, McDermott, Murray currently sponsor Senate Bill 5615. Please refer to the list of all 49 members of what Washington State Senate here:

http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/

**The legislators representing the 43rd legislative district are Representative Jamie Pedersen (HB 1177 sponsor), Representative Frank Chopp, and Senator Ed Murray (SB 5615 sponsor). heck yes for living in the u-district.




and email away! Your house and senate representatives are waiting to hear about what YOU think about the decriminalization of marijuana (just make sure you do your research first!!). Contact info is available via the links above. Please contact your district's legislators!

Here you can find a cheat sheet/letter template if you don't know where to start!

http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=12440716




This is the first stepping stone towards a wider and more knowledgeable understanding on the use and purposes of marijuana, medically and resourcefully. This is not a stand for teenage potheads to sneak a dub into their parents' house, but rather a stand for the beginning of educating our nation about the wide benefits of marijuana and hemp use.

Let us help end this "War On Drugs", or at least help our nation understand the fact that marijuana is NOT a narcotic. It will not kill anybody. It is a simple weed that grows from the ground. Let us slowly work back towards attaining a culture that will be able to respect and embrace this plant for all the benefits that it holds for society. These include:

- Providing medical treatment for patients with AIDS, those undergoing chemotherapy, patients with glaucoma, asthma, arthritis, depression, anxiety issues, pain... the list goes on and on and on. Many medical patients can ONLY get the relief they need from cannabis, yet have no legal way of obtaining the beautiful green bud legally. It's also illegal to grow. So.. what easy and legal options do Washington residents have available? None.
- Stop the U.S. from wasting BILLIONS of $$ on a war against a sticky green plant.
- Increase in resources!! Hemp can be used for paper, clothing, , oil, FUEL (!!!), nutrition, textiles, paint, building materials...
- Utilize America's #1 cash crop in order to support our crumbling economy and society
- Decriminalization of innocent people
- Decreased rates of paranoia among innocent people, haha.

These reasons do not even touch the surface of how decriminalization (or legalization) of marijuana will beneficially impact our lives. There is nothing to lose and all to gain when standing for the reformation of marijuana laws.

Please support this cause and educate the people of America what this miracle plant can really do for our nation!


I almost forgot! The most important thing to do is TELL YOUR FRIENDS!! Spread the word of progress, spread the love of the grass.

now let's make a change. toke easy, folks.

[SeattleRes]

Greenies...please see my link a couple posts ago also...apparently there's a pretty big roadblock to this bill even being heard which is is a wa state rep who was a former cop and thinks this bill is garbage. Apparently he is the one in charge of the committee that the bill is in unfortunately.

Make sure you email him...I provided my email to him as a reference, you can do similar.

[felinegreenies]

Ok, first of all, Chris Hurst can suck it because marijuana is NOT a narcotic!! Second of all, Chris Hurst is a Washington State REPRESENTATIVE. He isn't doing his damn job if he refuses to confront an issue that the people of this state obviously believe needs to be heard! He is refusing us our rights as citizens of this state and country by being a huge douchebag and turning a cold shoulder towards these bills that are causing this political uproar. Yes, marijuana is illegal. HB 1177 and SB 5615 are not fighting for legalization, only for decriminalization. Marijuana is, under federal law, illegal! Thank you Chris Hurst, we are all aware of this. But that will not change the fact that WA residents will continue to use marijuana medically, recreationally, and resourcefully, regardless of its criminal nature. We can only fight for its legalization which, without the support of such Representatives as Chris Hurst, make it a difficult journey for us potheads. But we must continue to fight for what we know is just and true. Marijuana has the potential to save this Earth from suffering.

[hendy]

I emailed Hurst and he seems like a moron. Look what he wrote to me.

Me>
Its time this happens, please listen to the people and give us what we want! Its not hurting anybody. Keep the jails open for those who really need to go! Last year I was beaten to a pulp and got my tooth kicked in, where were the cops? Probably busting somebody for pot! To this day the kid walks free. Its ridiculous if you ask me.
Him>
Chris,

Thank you for taking the time to contact my office with your support of House Bill 1177, which would reclassify possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana as a civil infraction.

As a 25-year veteran detective, I have some concerns with the potential for confusion for Washington State's citizens about their liability to prosecution by federal officers. The federal government still has marijuana classified as a Schedule 1 Controlled substance, which is completely prohibited under any circumstances. Due to that, federal officers will arrest Washington citizens for possession of marijuana regardless of what the state law says. Since Washington is a border state, and has hundreds of miles of coast patrolled by the Coast Guard, our citizens have far more contact with federal officers than most states. The Coast Guard has the ability to search any vessel it desires, and Washington citizens could be caught, arrested, and prosecuted in federal court for misdemeanor, or even felony possession, regardless of Washington's law in this matter. In addition, Washington citizens routinely cross the border into Canada. U.S. citizens returning to Washington from Canada are subject to search by the Border Patrol and U.S. Customs, also federal agencies. Like the Coast Guard, they can search any vehicle or person crossing the border, and would charge citizens for possession under federal statute instead of state law.

I do agree that we need to take a long, hard look at the way we handle drug crimes and sentencing in this country. The so-called "War on Drugs" has been a failure, and if we are truly going to address the issue of illegal drugs we need to change our mindset. My concern is that we need to have the federal government take the lead on any changes. If they were to make marijuana possession a state-by-state issue, rather than a state as opposed to a federal issue under the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, then it would be appropriate for the state to consider this matter. The last thing we should do is set Washington citizens up for confrontations that could lead to convictions that could follow them for the rest of their lives.

Thanks again for writing in, and please don't hesitate to contact me again with any other thoughts or concerns.

Chris

Me>
Thank you for getting back to me on the issue Chris. You do make some valid points on the matter, although the state of California also is also in the same situation as us. They have a bigger coastline then us, and also have the Mexican boarder. I do feel the Federal government should step in on the issue. I feel they could make billions a year if marijuana was regulated and taxed. In short, we as a state could help towards legalization; I feel we should do our part.

Him>
Chris,

I do agree that this is a worthy conversation, and that an open dialogue
on how we handle our drug sentencing in this country is a long-needed
process. I do feel strongly, however, that this is a conversation that
needs to start at the federal level, and that once the federal
government changes its stance, then the states can take a look at what
is most appropriate for their constituencies.

Kind regards,

Chris


Any comments?

[Matticus]

You should have written a longer letter that could derail any possible negative response possible.

[Deutschbag]

As a representative, in his mind, he is looking out for his constituents. He knows there are faults in the way we handle marijuana users but feels that federal laws override the state laws and honestly it is a valid argument to a degree. His examples are also valid because those things could easily happen. But I do think that the people of Washington state are smarter than to bring weed into or from Canada. Of course there will be isolated incidents but it doesn't outweigh the benefit of decriminalizing.

[SeattleRes]

UPDATE:

THE SENATE FORM OF H.B. 1177 IS CALLED SB 5615. IT'S CURRENTLY STUCK IN THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. THESE ARE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOTE FOR THE BILL. THEIR EMAILS ARE PROVIDED BELOW.


send email to ALL 8 SENATORS in the judiciary committee:
1. kline.adam@leg.wa.gov
2. regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov
3. mccaslin.bob@leg.wa.gov
4. hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov
5. kohl-welles.jeanne@leg.wa.gov
6. Carrell.Mike@leg.wa.gov
7. roach.pam@leg.wa.gov
8. tom.rodney@leg.wa.gov


This was my email to them for reference:

Please support SB 5615 for the following reasons:
1) As the recession worsens, and the economic numbers look worse every day, we need to elimiinate wasteful spending and cut
unnecessary costs within the system. This bill will save WA $7.6 million of badly needed resources.
2) This bill could help WA stay within it's budget.
3) This would help free up police officers to deal with serious crime, and set priorities straight.
4) The people of WA want this bill to pass! Marijuana decriminalization is supported by overwhelming majorities all across the country.
A 2001 Zogby poll asked respondents if they favored "arresting and jailing marijuana law offenders," and 61% answered no! This poll was done
years ago, and the numbers would be even higher nationwide for 2008.
Moreover, the numbers are even higher in western states!
Also, 65% supported it in MA this last November.
5) Marijuana decriminalization has occurred in 13 states, and studies show marijuana use is no higher in those states.
6) Marijuana use needs to be treated as a public health issue and not a criminal issue.
7) Coastal states like Oregon and California have decriminalized marijuana and have not ran into problems with federal agents
flexing their muscles and trying to punish residents of those states for simple possession.
It's time to act on this legislation!
Please support it, and let me know each of you feel about the bill.

[EarthWorm]

Attention Everyone:

SeattleRes is Right!!!!!

Check this out, a quote I pulled from one of Seattle's links:

But the bill has already hit a roadblock. Representative Christopher Hurst (D-31), a former narcotics officer and ex-cop who chairs the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee, refuses to give the bill a hearing.

This is the way our constitution works. Yes, it's 100% true, ONE PERSON CAN hold up a bill, if he heads the Committee where the bill is. There is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. It is the Committee Chair's Legal Right.

In cases like this, it doesn't matter how many representatives, Republicans, Democrats, experts, law-makers, gods or monsters we convince. If that bill doesn't leave Committee and get to the floor for them to vote on it, it's a dead duck which will likely have to wait until that Committee Chair leaves office (next election), and THEN ONLY if he/she is NOT re-elected there is another change then to get the bill out of committee and onto the floor.

Since what Christopher Hurst is doing is fully, totally, 100% legal, the only thing we can do is point out others like him who have lost re-election. These people are always on stupid, stubborn power trips. It is impossible to get them to listen to reason, but we can try.

I've seen this happen before, with other (unrelated) causes. Yes, Virginia, one man can kill a bill!

[EarthWorm]

If you agree with me that no one is going to be able to persuade Chris Hurst in any one-on-one conversation, you may then also agree with me that the best way to pressure this guy into representing the will of the public is to expose his maniacal power trip to millions of voters all over the state. I think this is a good plan because everyone, not just people from the State of Washington, can do it. When writing to state reps, they usually don't listen at all to what outsiders (who can't vote for them) have to say.

Also, each published Letter to the Editor holds so much importance to politicians, when a letter is published naming a representative, a copy of that published letter is faxed right away to both the state office and the office on Capitol Hill (when there is one). This is because although your one letter directly to said representative counts as the opinion of ten people (that's why they're so important to write), representatives know that your Letter to the Editor is reaching millions of voters. That makes those letters extremely important.

Our letters should let voters know what Chris Hunt is doing, how he is abusing his power in his own selfish interests (usually, there's a money connection) and if he does not submit to the will of the people, he should not be re-elected. These letters will also give us the opportunity to educate millions of people throughout the state, point out the fiduciary benefits of this law, and let them know countless other positive details regarding drug prohibition at the same time.

This link contains links to all the newspapers in Washington State, including business newspapers (great!!!), association newspapers, and campus newspapers, to name a few:

http://newslink.org/WAnews.html

If you are active on any other website forum, e-group, etc., please tell everyone that all of us can unite on this and bring forth a win for the people of Washington, but for everyone in the United States!

[SeattleRes]

Originally Posted by EarthWorm

Attention Everyone:

SeattleRes is Right!!!!!

Check this out, a quote I pulled from one of Seattle's links:

This is the way our constitution works. Yes, it's 100% true, ONE PERSON CAN hold up a bill, if he heads the Committee where the bill is. There is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. It is the Committee Chair's Legal Right.

In cases like this, it doesn't matter how many representatives, Republicans, Democrats, experts, law-makers, gods or monsters we convince. If that bill doesn't leave Committee and get to the floor for them to vote on it, it's a dead duck which will likely have to wait until that Committee Chair leaves office (next election), and THEN ONLY if he/she is NOT re-elected there is another change then to get the bill out of committee and onto the floor.

Since what Christopher Hurst is doing is fully, totally, 100% legal, the only thing we can do is point out others like him who have lost re-election. These people are always on stupid, stubborn power trips. It is impossible to get them to listen to reason, but we can try.

I've seen this happen before, with other (unrelated) causes. Yes, Virginia, one man can kill a bill!

Hey there this has been posted twice already on this thread plz read above. There is a wa state senate version of this bill sb5615. It ls in the senate judiciary plz read my post for their emails. Chris hurst says if the senate version passes he will agree to hear the house version. Plz take action! By emailing all 8 reps in senate judiciary look up 4 posts. For more info

[EarthWorm]

I read all that. It's great for Washington people, but I live in Texas. Representatives get so much mail, and what outsiders think has absolutely no bearing on state's laws, when they see the return address, they often don't even bother opening the mail. I have even heard that they automatically forward it to your state's representative. Letters to the Editor from out-of-state residents are typically viewed as a good thing by the Editors because it shows that their newspaper is popular beyond it's normal borders, which is good for egos as well as stockholders. I've never had problems getting my Letter to the Editor published, anywhere.

I'd surely be writing to my state reps if I lived in Washington. Texas has had several medical marijuana laws go into committee; probably versions of the same one. They never get passed. The public generally tends not to even be aware of them. With the last one, a few months ago, people were on here making comments regarding it being the first time Texas has seen such a proposed law. The dissemination of accurate information is one of our most powerful weapons, and SeattleRes, you are doing a bang-up job!

Kudos to you! Keep up the good work!

[EarthWorm]

One more post before I stop watching this thread so closely. I just wanted to say thanks to SeattleRes and all the rest of you who are putting this information up here. I'll be writing letters all weekend and in the mean time, I've placed all of this information on my e-group on Yahoo!Groups, "nomoproh", a quiet list which functions more as an online library for anyone researching marijuana legalization and as a call to action for activists like those of us on this forum. There are only a handfull of subscribers on it, but I asked everyone to write at least one letter and to pass on all the information to any e-groups or forums they are on.

In every battle of our war for legalization, there is something that all of us can do to help our fellow Americans and improve marijuana laws, even if we have to do it one state at a time!

[SeattleRes]

Originally Posted by EarthWorm

One more post before I stop watching this thread so closely. I just wanted to say thanks to SeattleRes and all the rest of you who are putting this information up here. I'll be writing letters all weekend and in the mean time, I've placed all of this information on my e-group on Yahoo!Groups, "nomoproh", a quiet list which functions more as an online library for anyone researching marijuana legalization and as a call to action for activists like those of us on this forum. There are only a handfull of subscribers on it, but I asked everyone to write at least one letter and to pass on all the information to any e-groups or forums they are on.

In every battle of our war for legalization, there is something that all of us can do to help our fellow Americans and improve marijuana laws, even if we have to do it one state at a time!

Thanks for the encouragement. I do feel like this issue will have to be dealt with state by state and I don't see the feds helping out anytime soon. If these proposals keep winning it'll cause momentum from state to state as more gain the courage to speak up about this issue. Unfortunately I feel like most people on this thread aren't reading the posts and just repost info that's already posted. I agree that reps only read in state comments.

[the.tokrrr]

Christopher Hurst will come to his senses after he realizes a vast majority of the people of Washington State are in favor of legalization, we need to keep sending him well written letters that shoot down any arguments he may have. Please when sending letters, do your research and use proper grammar. We need to be taken seriously with this.

That said, I think cannabis has enough positive media spin to get this bill passed through, not to mention Massachusetts decriminalization and the newly introduced Connecticut bill.

Does anyone have a list of states that have already decriminalized besides
-cali
-oregon
-mass
-nevada
-????