Minnesota Senate passes medical marijuana bill!

Published: May 2, 2007

Yesterday, the Senate voted 33-31 in favor of S.F. 345, the compassionate bill to protect seriously ill Minnesota residents from arrest and prison. This marks the first time that either chamber in Minnesota has passed a medical marijuana bill. Meanwhile, the House Finance Committee approved H.F. 655, the House companion bill to S.F. 345, in a 20-14 vote. It now heads to the House Ways and Means Committee. Minnesota is now two huge steps closer to becoming the 13th medical marijuana state.

Although these are major victories for medical marijuana patients in Minnesota, we still have a long way to go before this legislation becomes law. Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) has indicated that he will veto the bill. Please contact him by e-mailing tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us or by calling his office at (651) 296-3391. Please urge him to do the compassionate thing and pledge to protect patients from arrest. Remember to be polite when speaking to the governor or his staff.

Then, if you have not already done so, click here to e-mail your member in the House and urge him or her to vote in favor of H.F. 655. After the Ways and Means Committee approves the House bill, it will go to the House floor. Please follow up your e-mail by calling your representative. If you do not know who your representative is, you can click here to find out, along with his or her contact information.

It is imperative that Gov. Pawlenty and the representatives see examples of the level of support that exists across the state for this sensible and compassionate legislation. An excellent way to do this is by writing a letter to the editor of your paper, urging Gov. Pawlenty and the House to follow the lead of the Senate and pass the legislation quickly. Please click here to read the Star Tribune article on the vote and debate yesterday and click here to read the Pioneer Press article about it. Other papers across the state will cover it as well, so please respond to these articles with positive letters to the editor.

We are getting very close to passing a law, but we cannot let up yet. Please tell your friends, family, neighbors, and e-mail lists to take action, so that this will be the last year that Minnesota's gravely ill have to live in fear of arrest. Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project.