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Medical Marijuana News Update
The Coalition
for Medical Marijuana includes:
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Regular Session Over, Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Bill Could Still Come Back If Legislature Goes Into Special SessionMedical marijuana legislation in Rhode Island may get a second chance at passage in 2005 if the legislature goes into special session. The Marijuana Policy Project announced on Sept. 14, 2005 ( "Urge The Rhode Island Hosue To Come Back To Protect Patients From Arrest") that "It is no longer certain whether the House will reconvene to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest. The only step left before Rhode Island becomes the 11th medical marijuana state is the House overriding Gov. Donald Carcieri's (R) veto. But representatives cannot override the veto unless they’re called back into session." Pressure to come back in special session is now being placed on the legislature by of all people Gov. Carcieri. The Providence Journal reported on Oct. 4, 2005 ( "Carcieri Calls For Sales Tax Holiday") that "Governor Carcieri this afternoon called on the General Assembly to return for a special session in order to enact two of his initiatives: a state 'sales tax holiday' and a plan to help low-income seniors and the disabled pay their energy bills this winter." If serious, this is a high-stakes gamble for Carcieri. As the Journal noted, " Calling a special session is a risk for Carcieri. The governor vetoed several bills this year including a minimum wage increase, legislation allowing the use of marijuana to ease the pain of the seriously ill and a highly-controversial bill that would have allowed child-care workers to unionize. If the Democrat-dominated Assembly returns, they could take up several of the measures that Carcieri has -- until now -- successfully killed off."
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