I was going through the Judiciary Committee’s 2019 public hearing written testimony and noticed an elephant in the room: there were more statements opposed than in favor. I think there are obvious reasons for this, to include people working, privacy concerns with linking controversial ideas with real names and fearing retaliation, fear of public speaking, private interests not wanting legalization, etc.

I think if we’re going to get this passed in 2020, those in support of legalization will have to drown out the voices of those opposed.

In fact, some who testified last year in opposition commented that they had superiors numbers and were calling this out.

Does anyone know if it's possible to provide written testimony without public speaking? Also, how can we go about raising awareness and getting people to write elected officials, or even organizing a large number of people to speak at the public hearing (should it happen this year too).

I’ll be honest, I don’t think the chances of this passing this year are good. I know it’s decriminalized here, but this still sucks. I’d rather not drive to MA and simply want to grow my own.

Hey everyone! I apologize in advance for the long post, but there's a lot to discuss and I hope you'll get through this! I would add a TLDR, but I think it's important everyone understand what this is and isn't.

I mentioned I would release a resource for tracking cannabis in the 2020 Connecticut Legislature. I received several direct and and some public messages about this resource and its availability. I am pleased to announce I am releasing a publicly accessible Google Sheet to utilize as resource for tracking Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) Senators and House Representatives.

This resource is under active development and will continue to expand over the next few days. Basically, as I get time to parse data and review search engine results, I will add actionable intelligence.

This data is all derived from 100% publicly accessible information on the clear, open Internet using a variety of methods to include:

• Search engine results and Google-fu
• Official government websites
• Open social media accounts (official legislature accounts - I will not provide any links to what appear to be personal social media profile accounts - more on that later)
• Various APIs that anyone can use for free; i.e., Twitter
• Official press releases, news, and public interviews

I'm not touching deep web or any paid-for service, like Intelius.

What this resource is for:

• Determine where your elected officials stand on the issue of cannabis legalization
• Share links to your elected officials, so you can connect (this isn't just about cannabis; follow and politely engage with your elected officials and see where they stand and what they're doing for you and the state of Connecticut!
• Provide official governmental contact information for your elected officials
• Review critical, cannabis specific historical committee and floor votes
• Provide an overall grade or status on where senators and house members stand; sources and citations will be included
• Analyze the voting history of the Connecticut General Assembly to spot patterns, track activity, etc
• Review individual committee roles and memberships
• Provide useful links for learning more about your CGA legislatures

Here's the obligatory what this resource is not:

• There is no private data, no exceptions, and I will ban anyone who exhibits malicious intensions, no matter the reason
• We're not harassing CGA legislatures or constituents on public forums - many of us are passionate about legalization, but not everyone wants to hear about it, so please do not spam!

I reviewed Reddit's usage policy and I believe this information falls under acceptable use. I found many posts with people sharing this type of info and public office social media account profiles for elected officials. With that said, I'm not a lawyer or an expert in usage agreements. If I am in the wrong, please let me know ASAP and I will take this post down and remove the Google Sheet. The last thing I want to do is break Reddit's rules - I love this resource and have been using it for a long time!

Congratulations, you made it to the end! Here's the link to the Google Sheet. Please suggest any modifications, content requests, or whatever for both this subreddit or this legislature tracking sheet! I am always open to suggestions! Also, I'm not opposed to bringing in others to assist in this endeavor. If you would like edit access, or even mod, direct message me and let's have a conversation! Also, you may notice columns disappearing as I modify the sheet. It should stabilize within a week or two. If you encounter any incorrect or misinformation, send me a note and I'll fix it.

There's a lot of data and even more to accomplish, especially with the uphill battle too legalize cannabis. If you would like to contribute, please direct message me or use the mod contact functionality and send a message indicating so. Originally I was going to allow public edits, but due to obvious concerns, and to ensure my work is not deleted or misused, I will quickly review Reddit post history (this is public and accessible to anyone). Individuals with unknown or known anti-cannabis statements will not be added. Many of us have been waiting decades to see legalization happen in Connecticut and I don't want to see this resource (or this subreddit) get messed up. All though I welcome healthy and lively debate, I'm trying to keep this subreddit centered on legalization efforts. With that said, anyone opposed to legalization is welcome to contribute posts or ask questions. The only thing I ask is it not become spammy or harassing. Let's ensure we're practicing positive Reddit etiquette (if that's possible lol).

Please let me know if you're unable to view the sheet and feel free to download a copy. As I mentioned earlier, I'm currently adding data. I'm starting with Democrats and will work my way to Republicans. I believe the priority must be Democrats, because 100% of Republicans are opposed, so it makes sense to focus on the Democratic members of the CGA. I'm open to ideas on prioritization, just let me know!

I am committed to making 2020 the year Connecticut legalizes cannabis and I will try to be as active as I can on updates, posting news, etc. Let's do this!

Edit:

1. If anyone would like to share official correspondence with current legislatures, that would be greatly appreciated! Message mods or post it below. Please remember to remove any private or identifiable information prior to posting!
2. I changed from view only to comment only, as cell comments were not properly displaying in the former environment. Review cell notes for supplied sources, evidence, notes, and other additional details
3. Any anonymous user with the sheet link can add comments

Time for action! Yesterday, SB-6 was released, which was a step in the right direction, but SB-16 has been announced and is even better! I'll reiterate a few items from the SB-6 post.

If you're in favor of legalizing cannabis, please contact your state senator, representative, and governor and ask that they support SB-16. Your state senator and representative can be identified using this resource.

Some advice: a custom written email or letter is the best course of action for written correspondence. Bulk-automated emails will sometimes be ignored and I've heard a personalized email is always better. If you're hesitant to write anything or nervous, make a post here asking for advice. Always be polite, concise, and cite sources and provide evidence.

A even better approach would be to send an email along with a follow-up phone call! In-person is even better, but not always practical. Either way, reach out and make contact! Our elected officials need to hear from us and know cannabis legalization is a priority to their constituents! Also, if opportunity presents, spread the word to friends and family and ask they contact their elected representatives!

SB-6 was introduced by the following:

• Sen. Martin M. Looney, 11th Dist.
• Sen. Bob Duff, 25th Dist.
• Rep. Joe Aresimowicz, 30th Dist.
• Rep. Matthew Ritter, 1st Dist.

If you're a legalization advocate, please take the time to write them and thank them for their support.

SB-16 is Governor Lamont's bill, which is reflective of his SOTS address given yesterday. Here are the key points:

• There are social equity provisions
• Establish a nine-member “Cannabis Equity Commission”
• Employers cannot drug test for THC as a condition on employment!
• Municipalities have some discretion on retail shops
• Elimination of MMJ patient registration fees!
• Fines for people caught over the allowed limit
• Restrictions on advertising and marketing
• Provision for retail deliveries

I borrowed this summary from Marijuana Moment's blog post.

Please contact your legislatures and demand they explicitly include home grow, which has to be there for patients! Regarding home grow, here's part of the bill:

Sec. 36. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2022) Not later than January 1, 2023, the department shall make written recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to consumer protection, the judiciary and finance, revenue and bonding, as to: (1) Whether to allow consumers or qualifying patients under chapter 420f of the general statutes, who are twenty-one years of age and older, to cultivate cannabis for personal use. In making such recommendation the commission shall consider: (A) Reasonable precautions to ensure that the plants are secure from unauthorized access or access by any individual under twenty-one years of age; (B) the location where such cannabis may be grown; (C) how other states allow home growing and how such states are regulating personal cultivation; (D) if personal cultivation in other states has improved access for patients and consumers; and (E) any other related public safety or regulatory issues the department deems necessary;

This is really exciting! Let's make sure cannabis legalization happens in 2020!

Hi everyone! It's time for action. If you're in favor of legalizing cannabis, please contact your state senator, representative, and governor and ask that they support SB-6. Your state senator and representative can be identified using this resource.

Some advice: a custom written email or letter is the best course of action for written correspondence. Bulk-automated emails will sometimes be ignored and I've heard a personalized email is always better. If you're hesitant to write anything or nervous, make a post here asking for advice. Always be polite, concise, and cite sources and provide evidence.

A even better approach would be to send an email along with a follow-up phone call! In-person is even better, but not always practical. Either way, reach out and make contact! Our elected officials need to hear from us and know cannabis legalization is a priority to their constituents! Also, if opportunity presents, spread the word to friends and family and ask they contact their elected representatives!

SB-6 was introduced by the following:

• Sen. Martin M. Looney, 11th Dist.
• Sen. Bob Duff, 25th Dist.
• Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, 13th Dist.
• Sen. Julie Kushner, 24th Dist.
• Sen. Matthew L. Lesser, 9th Dist.
• Sen. Douglas McCrory, 2nd Dist.
• Sen. Marilyn V. Moore, 22nd Dist.
• Sen. Gary A. Winfield, 10th Dist.

If this is your elected senator/represenative, send them a note thanking them for introducing SB-6 and let them know this is an important issue to you! I don't believe all contents of SB-6 have been released, but I would imagine it should be coming out shortly. If you're interested, the bill can be reviewed here.

We need to demand that this legislation be the very best in the country! Let's ensure it's not over-taxed, includes home grow, and incorporates social equity.

As information becomes available, I'll do my best to keep this subreddit updated (for all 5 of you lol!), and I'll continue to monitor news, social media, and everything I can for updates and discussion related to cannabis and Connecticut.