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Oregon lawmakers busy filing marijuana bills

Proposals look at taxing pot, sales near schools, labeling requirements

By Taylor W. Anderson / The Bulletin / @taylorwanderson

Published Jan 18, 2015 at 12:01AM


SALEM — Oregon legislators filed more than a dozen marijuana-related bills last week, giving early insight into how they’ll tinker with a new law that will legalize recreational marijuana starting this July.

The proposals show what lawmakers may do now that Oregon is the nation’s fourth state to take on regulation of the federally banned drug.

Measures filed would prevent marijuana from being grown or sold near schools, would require labeling at marijuana shops and require the state to study pot taxation.

House Bill 2147 would order the Department of Revenue to create a report on the best way to tax pot sales. The bill would give the department until Sept. 15 of this year, months before the state will start licensing recreational retailers in 2016, to deliver the report.

Another bill, by Rep. John Lively, D-Springfield, would limit a physician to approving medical marijuana cards for no more than 450 patients.

Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, is chief sponsor of Senate Bill 445, which would require a posted notice at marijuana retail shops to warn of “the harmful effects of marijuana on pregnant women … and the potential for marijuana to cause birth defects.”

A similar law is in effect in Washington, where stores must give notice that marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, said Brian Smith, spokesman for the Washington liquor board, which regulates marijuana there. The notice in Washington says nothing about birth defects.

A bill by Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, would prevent the Office of Child Care from certifying child care facilities and giving them state funds when regular employees at the facility possesses a medical marijuana card.

Two more bills by Sen. Doug Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, and his wife, Rep. Gail Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, would create a 1,000-foot buffer zone between schools and marijuana dispensaries.

The Legislature’s involvement in marijuana is just getting started. Geoff Sugerman, a lobbyist with clients in the industry, said he’s already tracking more than two dozen marijuana-related proposals.

Ballot Measure 91 directed the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to regulate marijuana licenses and sales, but lawmakers will have a big hand in what the law looks like when the OLCC starts issuing licenses.

Anthony Johnson, director of New Approach Oregon, the chief proponent of Measure 91, said in a written answer to questions that the Legislature should “get the basics right” first, before addressing other issues.

“Measure 91 is a well-written law that’s flexible enough to be changed as needed,” he said, adding the state should focus on labeling, testing and childproofing “before adding in a bunch of last-minute changes that could disrupt the implementation process.”

Lawmakers in early meetings showed their views differ on the state’s role in marijuana regulation. Some were dismayed that voters passed the measure, others thought the state could do a good job of regulating marijuana if it was regulated like alcohol.

— Reporter: 406-589-4347,

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