Legislative Update - May 9, 2014

We’re closing in on the end of the legislative session, with conference committees hard at work to reconcile differences between House and Senate legislation. As everyone is — hopefully — well aware, this weekend is Mother’s Day! I wanted to say thank you and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mothers in our area and throughout Minnesota!

HHS Omnibus Policy Bill

E-Cigarettes

On Monday, we passed the Health and Human Services Omnibus Policy Bill, which contains legislation I chief authored regulating e-cigarettes.

Scientific research in recent months has continued to show growing evidence that e-cigarettes are dangerous to public health. The Centers for Disease Control announced last month that the number of e-cigarette-related poison center calls has increased dramatically, and most troubling, more than half the calls involved children under 6 years-old.

The bill adds e-cigarettes to current tobacco regulation and criminal statutes. HF2402 prohibits use of e-cigarettes on public school property; allows local governments to regulate e-cigarettes; and makes selling e-cigarettes to minors a misdemeanor crime. The House also adopted amendments on the floor to ban the use of e-cigarettes in state buildings, prohibit e-cigarettes from being sold at kiosks, and require child-resistant packaging for e-cigarette liquid.

These provisions are solely aimed at keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of Minnesota’s children. While e-cigarettes may not have the dangerous smoke that regular cigarettes have, the vapor does contain formaldehyde and other dangerous chemicals. E-cigarettes also come in candy flavors that appeal to children — a tactic the tobacco industry has historically used to target kids.

Sexual Assault Victim Notification

The bill also included legislation I authored requiring hospitals to give written notice about victim rights and available resources to sexual assault victims. Many sexual assault victims are unaware of the resources available to them, both to handle the trauma they’ve experienced and to ensure their assaulter is arrested and charged. We need to do all we can to reduce sexual assaults and help the victims.

Medical Marijuana Compromise

Today, the House passed a compromise medical marijuana bill on a strong bipartisan vote of 86-39. After opposing every other medical marijuana bill, law enforcement is not opposed to this compromise. The Minnesota Medical Association has also signaled they do not oppose the bill, calling it the “more useful, measured approach.” The Minnesota Nurses Association and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Minnesota also support the bill.

The bill establishes a patient registry program through which patients can use medical marijuana and through which Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will study the efficacy of medical marijuana. Patients must have a specified qualifying medical condition, diagnosed and certified by a licensed health practitioner, in order to participate in the registry.

Registry program patients will get their medical marijuana through a single manufacturer, approved and regulated by MDH. Patients must pay a fee to participate in the registry program and for their medical marijuana. Patient data is shared with MDH, enabling MDH to study and research the therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana.

Qualifying conditions include cancer, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Tourette’s syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, seizures, including epilepsy; severe and persistent muscle spasms, including multiple sclerosis; Crohn’s disease, or any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Commissioner of Health.

Medical marijuana is allowed in liquid and pill form only. Smoking marijuana is prohibited. Vaporizing is allowed but only by using marijuana that comes in liquid or pill form.

This bill is the type of good policy that comes from a lot of hard work and tough compromise. This is a tightly controlled, targeted bill to help those suffering from serious conditions, mostly children. We heard heart-wrenching stories from parents whose children are suffering and medical marijuana is the only thing that helps their children’s condition.  Some of these children are suffering 50 or more seizures a day.

I heard loud and clear from constituents who support medical marijuana legislation and spoke to parents whose children could be helped by this bill. I hope we can get a bill signed into law this session, and I think this is the right approach to get it done.

Unsung Heroes of the Minnesota Legislature

Most of the attention on the legislature focuses on senators and representatives, but all of the work that we do would not be possible without the great nonpartisan staff, or the people I call the Unsung Heroes of the Minnesota Legislature.

In the House, we’re so fortunate to have incredibly talented people working as Fiscal Analysts, in the Chief Clerk’s office, in non-partisan House Research, and House Public Information. These people are highly educated with advanced degrees and are experts in nearly every area of state law and legislative process. And they work tirelessly through late nights and weekends, are consummate professionals, and do excellent work, not to mention deal with the egos of lawmakers.

Finally, I want to recognize our House Pages, who do great work assisting on the House floor and in committees. Most Pages are young Minnesotans learning about the legislative process and they do a fantastic job.

I’m continually impressed with the commitment of House staff to honorably serve the people of Minnesota! Thanks to the Unsung Heroes of the Minnesota Legislature!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for the honor of representing you in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Sincerely,

Laurie Halverson

State Representative

District 51B