Legalizing medical marijuana is first bill filed in NC Senate

Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, has filed the NC Compassionate Care Act (S. B. 3), a bill that legalizes medical marijuana. It was the first bill filed in North Carolina’s state Senate on Wednesday, the first day of bill filing. Sens. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, and Paul Lowe, D-Forsyth are also primary sponsors.

Earlier this year, Rabon was reappointed as chairman of Senate Rules and Operations, the most powerful committee in the Senate, by Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. Rabon is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and effective state legislators in North Carolina.

“The Compassionate Care Act had great momentum and bipartisan support last session,” said Rabon. “It’s imperative that we continue to fight to ensure that North Carolinians with debilitating illnesses can receive the treatments they deserve.”

Last year, Rabon filed marijuana legalization legislation that passed the Senate by a vote of 36-7; however, it did not clear the House rules committee.

“Senator Rabon has been the driving force on the medical marijuana bill that passed the Senate last time and did not pass the house,” said Berger. “I think time will help and we’ll see whether or not this session is the right time. I think it’s the right thing for us to do. My thought is that the bill that passed the Senate last time was well constructed and addressed a lot of the concerns that people have.”

[Read more at The Carolina Journal]