Thursday, April 17, 2014

Contact The California Legislature - Bills In Committee

California Bill Watch

Assembly Bill 1894 and Senate Bill 1262 will be heard in committee starting Monday next week.  Advocates that wish to raise concerns about these bills must do so by Friday afternoon for SB 1262 and Monday morning for AB 1894.

Legislative and committee offices have different rules regarding how they receive comment from the public.  In order to be heard on either of these bills you must:
1.)   FAX a SIGNED letter to the committee office or
2.)   Email a SIGNED letter as an attachment and
3.)   SUPPORT bill# or OPPOSE bill# (or SUPPORT bill# WITH AMENDMENTS) must be the topic of your letter and appear in the body of your letter. 
SB 1262 will be heard by the California State Senate Standing Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 21, 2014.  Their fax number is (916) 266-9343 and email addresses to the committee chair, vice chair, staff and the consultants for the committee are:  senator.lieu@sen.ca.gov, senator.wyland@sen.ca.gov, theodate.cline@sen.ca.gov, gv.ayers@sen.ca.gov, bill.gage@sen.ca.gov.
SB 1262 greatly restricts doctors and will make it difficult to get a medical cannabis recommendation.  Read the bill here: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/sen/sb_1251-1300/sb_1262_bill_20140221_introduced.htm

AB 1894 will be heard by the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.  Their fax number is (916) 319-3745 and email addresses to the committee chair, vice chair, staff, and counsel for the committee are: assemblymember.ammiano@assembly.ca.gov, curtis.notsinneh@asm.ca.gov, assemblymember.melendez@assembly.ca.gov, Joshua.Hoover@asm.ca.gov, Sandy.Uribe@asm.ca.gov, gregory.pagan@asm.ca.gov.

AB 1894 treats medical cannabis collectives like bars and night clubs and puts enforcement under Alcohol Beverage Control; expensive fees, fines and taxes expected.  Read the bill here: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_1851-1900/ab_1894_bill_20140401_amended_asm_v98.htm