Cannabis: The Cluster “Compromise”
Last night, The Utah Bee shared an email that Senate President Wayne Neiderhauser sent Utah Senators, commanding them to attend a December 3, 2018, or be hauled in by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
The sole policy reason stated in that email for the rush to undo the People’s vote on Prop 2 is the “affirmative defense” provision. The email states, “To avoid legal issues, legal questions and public confusion, this bill needs an immediate effective date and thus must pass by a two-thirds majority. Specifically, law enforcement is very concerned with the “affirmative defense” provision in Prop 2, which protects medical cannabis users from criminal conviction, whether or not they have received a medical cannabis card.”
Yet, the replacement bill also has the “affirmative defense” provision (starting on line 4079).
The fever to undo the People’s vote is blurring the Legislature’s vision.
With lots of public input, the newly-elected Legislature could calmly address the Initiative passed by some 500,000 Utahns. However, the current Legislature (with 30+ lame-duck Legislators) is so frisky to undo the People’s law that it (along with the Public) has no idea what it is doing. Governor Herbert, let’s respect the People and get this right, instead of fast. Government happens best in the light of day. In January, the public would have lots of opportunities to provide input. They won't have those opportunities in a rushed special session. Patients really aren’t bad people. They will be reasonable in January; they are Utahns. They just want to be heard, and really don’t appreciate their work being immediately mugged by slick political machinations.