THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE IN SANTA FE GETS IT’S FIRST LOOK AT LEGISLATION TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA ON WEDNESDAY. STATE SENATOR GERALD ORTIZ Y PINO SAYS HE SEES A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD IN GETTING THIS JOINT RESOLUTION THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. HE SAYS IT MADE IT OUT OF THE RULES COMMITTEE LAST YEAR, BUT THAT WAS THE END OF THE ROAD.
ORTIZ Y PINO SAYS HE THINKS THERE’S A CERTAIN INEVITABILITY TO THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA, BOTH HERE AND NATIONALLY. HE SAYS IF THE STATE HAD APPROVED THE MEASURE THE FIRST YEAR HE INTRODUCED THE BILL, NEW MEXICO COULD HAVE BEEN THE SECOND STATE TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA.
THIS IS HIS THIRD ATTEMPT. AND HE SAYS HE’S GETTING PLENTY OF SUPPORT FOR THE BILL. HE SAYS HE RECEIVED 25 EMAILS URGING HIM TO GET THE MEASURE PASSED. IT WOULD THEN GO BEFORE VOTERS AS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PERMITTING THE POSSESSION AND USE OF MARIJUANA BY INDIVIDUALS.
