Legislative Agenda - Oregon NORML

Oregon NORML Legislative Agenda

This is a busy legislative session this year, we are following a few key pieces of legislation, specifically licensing and regulating the social consumption of cannabis, addressing the state’s oversupply of legal product, adjustments to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, new taxes and fees and employment discrimination, just to name a few.

Stay tuned to this page to learn about legislation and how you can contact your legislators.

SOCIAL CONSUMPTION

Senate Bill 639 – SUPPORT

House BIll 2233 – OPPOSE

While both S.B 639 and H.B 2233 would provide for regulation by Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) of “consumption and sale of marijuana items at temporary events, including licensure of premises on which temporary events are held”, Oregon NORML supports SB 639 and opposes HB 2233, as it is currently written.

We believe this issue is about economic fairness and social justice and that the best path toward social consumption does not create onerous and expensive barriers to entry in the business market or restrict the consumer’s ability to consume indoors.

Consumption of cannabis in public is illegal, yet tourists and patients and adults that rent rather than own their homes have the right to purchase and possess cannabis but no space they can legally consume. Enforcement of public consumption laws disproportionately targets the poor and people of color.

Only SB 639 would revert the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act (ICAA) to its original wording pre-legalization. After Oregonians voted to legalize marijuana for adults in 2014, the state amended the ICAA specifically to prohibit social consumption space. We believe that in the interest of public safety and fairness, regulations to allow smoking cannabis in these lounges are not only essential for the health and safety of users and the public, but entirely manageable. Localities in California, which passed the original ICAA in 1976, have already licensed and regulated such spaces.

Social consumption lounges would also attract more tourists to Oregon and allow for promotion of our local craft producers.

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and these bills. You can find your legislator here, or you can use our NORML Action Alerts to generate a form letter you can personalize and send.

ADDRESSING THE OVERSUPPLY

Senate Bill 582 – SUPPORT

Senate Bill 218 – OPPOSE

Senate Bill 218 Authorizes Oregon Liquor Control Commission to refuse to issue marijuana production licenses based on market demand and other relevant factors. Senate Bill 582 authorizes the governor to enter into an agreement with another state for the purpose of cross-jurisdictional coordination and enforcement of marijuana-related businesses.

Both S.B 218 and S.B. 582 were proposed with the intent of managing Oregon’s legal cannabis oversupply, but with very different approaches. While one approach allows the governor to cap licenses, the other urges the governor to work to promote out-of-state export of Oregon-grown cannabis. Other countries have begun exporting cannabis and Oregon’s small producers, constrained by serving the in-state market, are already losing their chance to compete on the national stage. We also believe the free market is best for patients, consumers and small businesses.

COMPLIANCE

Senate Bill 585 – SUPPORT

S.B. 585 directs Oregon Liquor Control Commission to establish Responsible Cannabis Retailer Program to assist marijuana retailers in maintaining compliance with cannabis laws and rules.

Oregon NORML supports any initiative to provide help to the business community to get and stay in compliance with Oregon state law.

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and these bills. You can find your legislator here.

TAXES & FEES

Senate Bill 365 – SUPPORT

S.B. 365 prohibits local governments from imposing system development charge on projects related to production, processing or retailing of marijuana items

It is our position at Oregon NORML that cannabis has been over regulated which, has imposed an undue burden on the small and local businesses that are the cornerstones of our communities.

Legal cannabis can only successfully compete with the illicit market if there is a legal and affordable option. Many localities have chosen to ban cannabis business in their county and many would like to use excessive fees to eliminate cannabis business. The state must stand up to local interference that undermine the goals of legalization that voters approved.

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and these bills. You can find your legislator here.

OREGON MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM

Senate Bill 382 – SUPPORT

S.B. 382 removes the limit of 20 pounds on transfer of usable marijuana from medical marijuana grow site to recreational marijuana processor or wholesaler.

This bill makes it easier for medical cannabis growers to provide charitable donations to patients. Oregon NORML supports any effort to increase safe, affordable and legal access to patients.

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and these bills. You can find your legislator here.

House Bill 2687 – SUPPORT

H.B. 2687 prohibits organ transplant centers from removing Oregon Medical Marijuana cardholders from the transplant list based on a positive drug test for cannabis.

Oregon NORML strongly believes that no patient should be denied a life-saving organ transplant for choosing to use cannabis over more dangerous drugs such as opiates, sleeping pills and other intoxicating pharmaceutical drugs.

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and this bill. You can find your legislator here, or you can use our NORML Action Alerts to generate a form letter you can personalize and send.

House Bill 2722 – SUPPORT

H.B. 2722 adds physicians assistants, naturopathic physicians and nurse practitioners to the list of medical providers qualified to write a medical cannabis recommendation.

For many patients, these doctors are their primary caregivers, especially in rural areas. All three classes of medical professionals are trained and qualified to care for cannabis-using patients

Live in Oregon? Contact your legislator and tell them how you feel about this issue and this bill. You can find your legislator here, or you can use our NORML Action Alerts to generate a form letter you can personalize and send.

EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION

House Bill 2655 – SUPPORT

Senate Bill 379 – SUPPORT

Both H.B. 2655 and S.B. 379 are identical and would make it unlawful for employers to condition employment on whether the person refrains from using certain legal substances. Oregon NORML strongly supports both bills for three primary reasons:

Opponents to this legislation suggest employees cannot be protected for medical or off-the-job use until an accurate test is developed to measure THC impairment in the blood, saliva or urine. Experts agree this is not an accurate way to measure impairment.
Standard field sobriety testing and applications like DRUID go much further to test for impairment by cannabis or any other substance by measuring reaction time, balance, and hand-eye coordination. The test is personalized to the user, making it an accurate indicator of impairment.
Employers have used drug testing when a workplace accident occurs. If cannabis is detected, the employer is not required to pay workers compensation claims. This is discriminatory against medical users replacing opiates and adult users replacing alcohol, cannabis is safer than both legal substances.

Very few states have protected workers’ rights after cannabis legalization. The state and big business are profiting from the sale of legal cannabis, workers should have the right to consume and should not be discrimination for THC in their system despite not being impaired.