Medical marijuana bill stalls in Ala. House after 9 hours of debate
Medical marijuana debate continues in Alabama House By Lydia Nusbaum | May 5, 2021 at 12:39 AM CDT - Updated May 5 at 12:42 AM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - A medical marijuana bill stalled in the Alabama House chamber Tuesday after several Republicans organized a filibuster. However, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Huntsville, said he expects there will be a vote on the floor Thursday.
The chamber debated the bill for about nine hours but lawmakers were required to stop debate for the legislative day at midnight.
The bill would make marijuana legal medical treatment for about 10 different medical conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, autism and epilepsy.
Alabama House filibuster delays medical marijuana bill despite strong support
It had the votes. But it couldn t overcome the dissent.
The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday spent over nine hours debating a bill from Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence to authorize medical marijuana, but adjourned without passing it despite overwhelming margins in favor of the bill. It s frustrating to see that a few stubborn people can block the process, said Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, who spent roughly eight hours in the well of the House arguing for the bill. But that s the process we have.
House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, said the chamber would take up the bill again on Thursday.
Medical marijuana bill returning to Alabama House with chance to pass
Updated May 05, 2021;
Posted May 05, 2021
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Medical marijuana legislation that appears to have bipartisan support is scheduled to return to the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday morning after delay tactics by opponents blocked a final vote Tuesday.
About a dozen Republican lawmakers spoke during the filibuster that lasted more than nine hours until the House adjourned shortly before midnight.
Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, the House sponsor of the bill, said he is hopeful about the chances Thursday.
“I don’t see how it doesn’t come to a vote,” Ball said.
The committee voted to send the bill to the floor of the House of Representatives.
The decision came after a public hearing in which opponents said the bill picks “winners and losers” by naming the nine casino locations. And proponents said it was time to give Alabama voters the opportunity to vote on gambling for the first time in two decades. If approved by lawmakers, the measure would go before voters in November 2022.
The bill would establish a state lottery. Casinos would be located at Victory Land dog track in Macon county, Greentrack dog track in Greene County, Mobile County Race Course in Mobile County and the Crossing at Big Creek in Houston County. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians would also have casinos at its three locations plus the final bid for a new north Alabama site in either Jackson or DeKalb counties.