Web posted
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Medical marijuana bill goes to Senate committee
By THE ASSOCAITED PRESS
TOPEKA (AP) -- A bill that would create a defense for people who use marijuana because of medical problems has little hope of getting out of a Senate committee, the panel's chairwoman said Monday.
Supporters and opponents of the measure offered their views to the Senate Health Care Strategies Committee, chaired by Susan Wagle.
''This bill isn't on my agenda,'' the Wichita Republican said. ''In the last five years, there have been so many more drugs available to cancer patients.''
Supporters included former Attorney General Bob Stephan, who said the bill doesn't legalize marijuana but would provide a defense for those with a chronic or debilitating disease if they have a written statement from a doctor that using marijuana could help them.
''This is nothing new. Marijuana has been used by people with severe illnesses for a long time,'' he said.
Also supporting the bill was Anthony Buckland, a Shawnee County resident, who said his 16-year-old stepdaughter has cancer and marijuana would help her depression and nausea and be cheaper than the medication she's using.
Speaking against the bill was Dr. Eric Voth, of the Institute on Global Drug Policy, which advocates policies to curtail illegal drug use. He said a dozen other states have such proposals on the books.
''In other states it's proven to be a get out of jail free card,'' said the Topeka physician. ''There is a science behind the issue and it's not behind smoked pot.''
He said the legislation is ''part of a national movement to legalize marijuana.''
Chris Schneider, Wyandotte County district attorney, said even if the legislation was enacted, it still would be illegal to purchase marijuana.
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GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: Two influential Republican senators disagree about setting up a new commission to root out government inefficiencies.
The proposal for a commission comes from Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, of Independence. He has said it would be modeled after the commission the federal government used to identify which military bases to close.
Under his plan, the Legislature would be required to take an up-or-down vote on the commission's recommendations to shut down programs or merge or eliminate agencies.
But Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, of Thayer, chairman of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, said Monday that he's skeptical of setting up a new commission.
He said legislators should use the tools they have, including the Legislature's auditing division, to hunt for inefficiencies. To make that point, Umbarger had a hearing Monday to examine the division's duties.
''It's not efficient to start a new efficiency commission when we've already got something that we're not even taking full advantage of right now,'' Umbarger said.
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NEW DIRECTOR: A longtime employee of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been promoted to interim director of its environment division.
John Mitchell has worked for the agency for 28 years and is the director of its Bureau of Environmental Field Services.
He was appointed to the new job by KDHE Secretary Rod Bremby to replace Ron Hammerschmidt, who is leaving Feb. 15 to take a federal job.
Mitchell will lead the division at least until the department finishes a national search for an environment director.
The division has a budget of about $66 million and about 500 employees.
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CHEAPER CALLS: The House passed and sent to the Senate a bill allowing low-income families to have cheaper phone service. The vote was 109-12.
The cost for basic phone service in the state is $22 a month, and the bill would reduce that to $4.20 for those at 150 percent of the federal poverty level. That amounts to an annual household income of $10,210 for one person and $20,650 for a family of four.
Phone companies would work from a list from the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Qualifying customers automatically would be signed up but could be asked to be removed from the list.
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UNDER THE DOME: Monday was the 31st day of the legislative session, out of 90 scheduled. ... A Senate resolution introduced calls for the state to apologize for the treatment of American Indians.
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