An Act relating to the medical use of marijuana; and providing for an effective date.

May 8, 1999

To: All Legislative Colleagues

From: Representative Fred Dyson, Co-Chair and Representative John Coghill, Co-Chair

Re: CSHB 213 Medical Marijuana Legislation

On May 4, 1999, the House HESS Committee passed out CSHB 213, legislation which we introduced to "clean up" the medical marijuana law that became effective in March. We wanted you to know that CSHB 213 is receiving strong support from various organizations, agencies, and businesses:

• The Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police has endorsed SSSB 94 (companion bill to CSHB 213) (see attached letter).
  
  
• The Anchorage Assembly has urged the Alaska Legislature to make changes to the medical marijuana law that have been requested by the Anchorage Police Department and the Department of Public Safety (see attached resolution). CSHB 213 makes the changes requested by these agencies.
  
  
• The Dept. of Law, Dept. of Public Safety, and Dept. of Health & Social Services have testified that with appropriate amendments (now incorporated into a draft CS), they will support CSHB 213 and recommend that Governor Knowles sign it.
  
  
• The Alaska Federation of Republican Women recently passed a resolution supporting changes in Alaska law to ensure that marijuana will be legally available only for medical purposes, so as to "safeguard our children from influences of drugs and other harmful chemicals" (see attached resolution).
  
  
• The Republican Party of Alaska has endorsed SSSB 94 & CSHB 213 to fix the medical marijuana law (resolution attached).
  
  
• The Legislative Committee of the AK State Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse supports HB 213.
  
  
• The Ketchikan Daily News recently voiced its support for HB 213 (editorial attached).
  
  
• Several Alaska business leaders support changes in the law (see attached letter).
  
  

If you have questions or need further information on CSHB 213, please contact the House HESS Committee aide, Wes Keller (907) 465-3759.