The North Dakota Legislature has a tradition of giving every bill introduced, at the very least, a committee hearing and a floor vote in the chamber in which it was introduced. A bill to decriminalize marijuana introduced by state Rep. Shannon Roers Jones (R-Fargo) did get those things, but on this episode of Plain Talk…
Stop Pretending Like Your Kids Don’t Already Know What Marijuana Is
Though legal (or at least decriminalized) recreational marijuana probably isn’t going to be a thing in North Dakota for a while yet, we aren’t all that far away from licensed businesses legally selling marijuana from medicinal purposes in our communities. That’s due to a very poorly written ballot measure passed by voters in the 2016…
Plain Talk: Activist Says ND Legislature Has Shown “No Interest in Having an Adult Conversation About Marijuana”
On this episode of Plain Talk, marijuana activist David Owen says the Legislature killing a decriminalization bill was “shameful” because of the way it was done. “The civil asset forfeiture bill was given five hours” of time for testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Owen told me. “We got 15 minutes.” “To give a bill…
There Need to Be Consequences for State Agencies Trying to Kill Legislation With Politically Motivated Fiscal Notes
Whether the legislating is taking place in the Legislature in Bismarck, or at the ballot box during an election year, North Dakota has a process which is intended to inform us all as to the potential costs of a given proposal. That process is called the “fiscal note,” and it’s essentially the various state agencies…
Print Column: We Need to Legalize Marijuana, Not Merely Decriminalize It
MINOT, N.D. – Last year a ballot measure to legalize marijuana in North Dakota failed at the ballot box. Despite this outcome, many of our state’s politicians recognize there is a need, and an appetite among voters, for some further loosening of our state’s laws with regard to marijuana. Enter state Rep. Shannon Roers Jones,…
Podcast: Measure 3 Debate, Elizabeth Warren’s DNA, and Voter ID
On the radio show today we had an hour-long and very informative debate about Measure 3 which, if approved in November, would legalize recreational marijuana in North Dakota. David Owens from Legalize ND made the affirmative argument for the measure while Will Jones from Smart Approaches to Marijuana provided the counter argument. I also discussed…
Podcast: Heitkamp’s Handling of Sex Abuse Case in the 1990’s, Burgum’s Fiscal Record, Opposition to Measure 3
On the radio show today we talked extensively about the bombshell Fox News story about Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s handling of a physical/sexual investigation involving a Native American school back in the 1990’s when she was Attorney General. Also Chris Edwards from the Cato Institute talked about their ranking North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as the…
Podcast: Rep. Marvin Nelson Talks Marijuana, House Majority Leader Al Carlson Talks #NoDAPL and Heidi Heitkamp
On the radio show today, Democratic state Representative Marvin Nelson talked about the challenges North Dakota lawmakers may face if Measure 3 to legalize recreational marijuana passes. He says the Legislature may have to tweak a few things, but that they’re more than capable of making it work. House Majority Leader Al Carlson also joined…
Sean Foss: Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Creates Conundrum for Employers
This guest post was submitted by Fargo attorney Sean Foss. As North Dakota voters consider whether to approve Measure 3, which would generally legalize recreational marijuana use for those aged 21 and up, employers in the State face a particularly-difficult conundrum: if the measure passes, it will become illegal for most employers to discriminate against…
Senator Heitkamp Won’t Say Where She Stands on North Dakota’s Measure to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Recently a SAB reader who attended a discussion on addiction in West Fargo told me they overheard the host of that discussion, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, tell other attendees that Measure 3 is a bad idea. That measure, if approved by North Dakota voters in November, would make recreational marijuana legal in our state. Last week,…