From Robert Wolfe, Director of the Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative, which has organized virtually all Oregon marijuana law reform organizations so that we speak with one voice this legislative session:

As expected, the Omnibus Cannabis bill has been drafted, and dropped on the desks of the Co-Speakers of the House. Designated HB 3664, I expect the bill to be referred to the House Rules Committee shortly. Other committees that would normally hear this bill are now "closed" for new legislation. Rep. Olson had to use one of his two "Priority Bills" to get this introduced, and that is a sign of his seriousness in sponsoring this legislation.

HB 3664 -- Modifies the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, Declares Emergency

Summary of changes

Person responsible for a grow site must be 21 years of age

Caregiver must be 21 years of age

National background checks required for all growers and caregivers, with a

5-year exclusion for manufacture or delivery of a Schedule I or II

substance, either in Oregon or the equivalent in another jurisdiction;

requires an additional background check each time a caregiver's name is

submitted;

Authorizes an additional fee for each background check

Allows the OHA to impose a fee for registering a grow site

Limits patient participation to Oregon residents

Specifies that attending physician must document that the use of medical

marijuana "will" provide therapeutic value

Allows OHA to demand additional information from caregiver applicants, to be determined by rule

Changes the terms under which minors can participate in the program

• Attending physician must specialize in the treatment of children
• Must resubmit updated physician documentation every three months

Changes the terms of law enforcement access to the patient registry

• Requires Oregon Health Authority to provide Oregon State Police a list of registered marijuana grow sites once per quarter
• Requires release of cardholder information to law enforcement upon request, without providing a reason for the database access

You can read the full measure here:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measpdf/hb3600.dir/hb3664.intro.pdf

The two Co-Chairs of the House Rules Committee are Rep. Andy Olson, who put this measure together, and Rep. Dave Hunt, a Democrat. Both Co-Chairs must agree before this bill will get a hearing. I strongly suggest urging your membership to contact Rep. Hunt to ask him to deny this bill a hearing. In addition to the negative clauses of the bill, here are talking points about the bill's process:

* This bill was crafted in secret

* This bill is circumventing the normal process for a bill that should

have been considered by the more-knowledgeable House Health Care and / or

House Judiciary Committees

* Rep. Olson rejected OMPI offers of informational briefings, and

rejected all OMPI suggestions for positive changes to the OMMA - he has not been willing to work with us productively.

* Similar bills have already been heard in the House and Senate, where

they failed to move forward - there is no broad political will to change the

OMMA this session

You can contact Rep. Hunt at 503-986-1900 or by email at

rep.davehunt@state.or.us.

Other members of the House Rules Committee can also be contacted. You can find a list of those Committee members here:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/committees/

Bob Wolfe

Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative

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An example Email to Representative Hunt. Please feel free to use as you please:

Representative Hunt:

Please stop House Bill 3664. Since our great state is suffering from an economic and budgetary crisis, it would be irresponsible for the Oregon Legislature to even spend time holding a hearing for a bill that will only cost the state, as well as sick and disabled patients, money. House Bill 3664 will cause more hardships to be placed upon Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patients, as well as their caregivers and providers. HB 3664 will only cost the state money as more nonviolent Oregonians are investigated, arrested and jailed for personal marijuana offenses. Patients battling severe and debilitating medical conditions do not need more burdens placed upon them and our state should not be spending any more money that we simply do not have.

Please help the Oregon Legislature deal with the serious issue of the day: the economy. Please stop House Bill 3664.

Thank you,

Anthony Johnson

Director, Oregon Green Free Clinical Services

Political Director, Progressive Reform of Oregon