The Alaska Legislature held its first official hearing Thursday on Ballot Measure 2, the initiative that legalized recreational marijuana after voters approved it in November, and one thing was immediately clear: the body intends to take an active role in regulation.
Supporters of the ballot measure testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee in an effort to clarify questions legislators had about the initiative. Questions ranged from issues over intoxicated driving to limits on how workplaces will deal with employee testing.
But the overarching theme was what role the Legislature will have in crafting laws related to the measure. The Legislature has the authority to amend the initiative as long that doesn't substantially alter the intent of the measure. The only clear authority the initiative gives the Legislature is that it may set up a "Marijuana Control Board" that would be in charge of regulating the substance.
Tim Hinterberger, co-sponsor of Ballot Measure 2, testified that the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska sees the rulemaking process as more of a regulatory issue to be handled by either the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board or a marijuana control board, though he noted that the Legislature would have some role in the process.
"Quite frankly, we feel the Legislature's role would be quite limited," Hinterberger testified.
But Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, pushed back on the idea of a limited role of the Legislature. She noted that in the past the body has addressed issues with other impairing substances, including blood alcohol levels, laws involving selling alcohol to minors and even restrictions on happy hours, among others. She said it was "fairly naive" to think the Legislature wouldn't have any role in dealing with marijuana.
McGuire, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has indicated that she plans to introduce legislation aimed at creating some form of a marijuana control board.
Sen. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, expressed hesitancy in turning over the reins to a regulatory board.
"I get a little nervous when (a group) puts so much power in the regulatory board and keeps the people's voice out," he said Thursday.
Stoltze, the State Affairs Committee chair, said he plans to host more hearings -- including those open to public testimony -- on the subject, though the committee will focus on exploring the topic, not introducing any legislation on regulating marijuana.
So far, only two lawmakers have introduced any legislation on the matter; one bill related to marijuana concentrates and another on commercial hemp production.