“I would like to describe it as a good use of money from THC. The money is being spent wisely. It’s creative. It’s innovative.”
Micah Drew Daily Montanan
Montana Senate Thursday passed a proposal to modify which programs are funded by more than 60 million dollars in tax revenue from marijuana for recreational use.
Senate Majority Tom McGillvray of Billings is sponsoring Senate Bill 307. The bill will shift the marijuana tax revenue from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to other programs and strengthen marijuana prevention and enforcement.
McGillvray presented the bill as an “easy” choice of policy and asked whether legislators cared more for children or those affected by marijuana use, or about wildlife habitat.
McGillvray stated that Montana’s deer, elks, ducks and geese were all in good health. He added that FWP could invest “buckets” worth of funds.
You asked me: [us] He said that the addictions of the young, teens, adults, and children should be given priority.
The opponents said, however, that funding for FWP was set aside for a specific reason. If the Legislature wanted to focus on prevention measures, it should address that issue separately.
Sara Novak of Acaonda served in the Business and Labor Committee at the time when the recreational use of marijuana was legalized, with conservationists counting on a portion.
Novak stated, “We spent a lot of time and effort on the legislation which included all of the guidelines around legalizing marijuana. It also included allocations of revenue.” “I believe we should look hard at prevention, educational programs, treatment and crime, along with the trickle-down effect. This bill, however, is not the right way to achieve that.”
SB 307 had a lengthy hearing before the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee, where many drug prevention specialists and law enforcement representatives spoke in favor of the bill, but were outnumbered by more than 20 opponents representing conservation groups.
Christy Clark, the director of FWP, also spoke out against it, citing a number of programs which would “virtually be eliminated” without funding. These included a tracking system for bats, birds, and other wildlife, and funding for threatened and endangered species. The committee was told that the funding from the state parks has enabled FWP’s maintenance program to make up for a “major lag” including 55 projects.
McGillvray’s Bill was modified to remove several provisions. These included funding for a cannabis prevention account, a grant program for suicide prevention and the creation of a marijuana accountable council. The bill also restored funding to veterans and for the Board of Crime Control that was originally removed.
The bill now allocates 26 percent of the revenue to the Healing and Ending Addiction through Recovery and Treatment Fund. 4 percent will go to a marijuana law enforcement fund, smaller portions for veterans and board of crime prevention, and then the rest to the general funds.
Comparatively, this bill will more than double dollars that are currently allocated to the Heart fund. This was originally the $6 million annual marijuana revenues, and is now estimated at $60 million.
Senators supporting the bill discussed the issues with high-potency THC and the importance of prioritizing treatment programs and enforcement.
Mike Yakawich of Billings said he used marijuana in the 70s for 2 years and had health problems attributed to it. He understood its negative effects and warned against using the drug. He noted that the bill was not really about marijuana. It’s about money.
He called it “a wise allocation of THC funds”. This is an intelligent allocation of funds. It’s creative. It’s innovative. Four years, five years from now, if people say ‘Yakawich, you did a poor job with that bill, and we need to fix it,’ well that’s what we do as legislators.”
In a similar vein but on the opposite side, Sen. Emma Kerr-Carpenter, D-Billings, reminded the body that they weren’t discussing THC levels, detrimental medical effects of the drug, or regulating the industry—the bill is simply about funding.
The good sponsor diverts revenue from a conservation program for public land that was allocated to him a few sessions back and uses it instead to fund mental health and drug abuse prevention. “My question is why we can’t do both simultaneously?” Kerr-Carpenter said. We don’t have to choose between the two. It’s not necessary to pick.
McGillvray reemphasized that he believes FWP is “flush with cash”—despite some specific “flush” accounts he referenced having limitations for spending — and that they don’t need to take in marijuana revenue.
He explained that the money from gasoline taxes is not used to pay for Medicaid, health care or anything else of the sort. It’s instead spent on roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. It’s logical to use the revenue from marijuana taxes for marijuana harms.
This bill was approved by the Senate with a vote of 30 to 20.
SB 307 was heard Monday by the Senate Finance and Claims Committe, and then the Senate will again vote on the measure.
First published in Daily Montanan.
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