Last session, Minnesota passed one of the most restrictive restrictive medical cannabis laws in the country, with medical marijuana advocates and some lawmakers vowing to revisit the issue.
Moreover, gubernatorial candidates seeking to unseat Governor Dayton (a reluctant supporter who only agreed to sign a bill law enforcement could live with) all promised Minnesotans for Compassionate Care that they'd work to expand the bill to include new patients if elected.
Dayton coasted to a decisive victory on Tuesday, becoming the first Minnesota governor to win office by a majority in this century. (Arne Carlson, elected with 63% of the vote in 1994, was the last to win by a majority).
We're curious where the new legislators might stand on expanding the law to cover more people. Are the new lawmakers more or less inclined to consider changes than those they replaced? Bluestem examined published articles, voter guides and candidate forums for indications of where the effort might stand now in the House. (If readers know of differing answers than those we list below, please send us that information).
From our preliminary review of information, it appears as if six seats have switched to new lawmakers who oppose legal medical cannabis. With this switch, it's unlikely that enough House members would challenge Governor Dayton's veto if a more inclusive bill were passed by both houses. According to the legislature's website, 90 votes in the House are necessary to override a veto.
Governor Dayton does not support changing the new law.
We've also embedded pages below, taken from the Minnesota Family Institute's 2014 Voter's Guide, Outstate Edition and Metro Editions (online here) The Minnesota Family Institute is the educational subsidiary of Minnesota Family Council, according to the guide. The Minnesota Family Council opposed passage of the new law.
The candidate survey asked for a yes or no answer to the question: ""Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?".
The Minnesota Senate, which was not up for re-election in 2014, approved a more expansive medical cannabis bill introduced by Senator Scott Dibble, before voting for the more restriction conference committee report.
Should the process of selecting two manufacturers to grow, process and distribute medical cannabis proceed without a hitch, about 5000 sick Minnesotans will have access to the medicine by July 1, 2015. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, two firms will be selected by December 1 from a list of twelve applicants.
New legislators: flipped seats
(All election data via With big assist from rural voters, GOP retakes Minnesota House at MinnPost).
House District 2A: Dave Hancock (52.36 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Roger Erickson (47.49 percent)
In May, the Bemidji Pioneer reported (via AIM Coalition reprint):
Erickson's Republican opponent in this year's election, Dave Hancock, said the decision to legalize medical cannabis should be left up to the federal Food and Drug Administration, not the state legislature.
Hancock also completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below)
Erickson had voted for the 2014 law.
Bluestem assessment: Hancock is likely to oppose expanding Minnesota's medical cannabis law.
House District 10A: Joshua Heintzeman (53.37 percent) defeated DFL Rep. John Ward (46.54 percent)
Heintzeman completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "no" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below)
According to NORML-MN's voter guide, Ward "supported the 2014 medical bill, reversing earlier opposition."
Bluestem assessment: No change.
House District 10B: Dale Lueck (51.97 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Joe Radinovich (47.89 percent)
Lueck completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below)
Radinovich had voted for the new law.
Bluestem assessment: Lueck is to likely to oppose expanding Minnesota's medical cannabis law.
House District 11B: Jason Rarick (53.68 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Tim Faust (46.15 percent)
Rarick completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "no" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below)
Faust had voted for the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: No change
House District 12A: Jeff Backer (51.87 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Jay McNamar (47.94 percent)
Backer completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionnaire, with a "qualified answer" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below). A source in the district tells us that Backer wants to make sure that medical cannabis isn't used recreationally.
McNamar had voted for the 2014 bill.
Bluestem assessment: No change.
House District 14B: Jim Knoblach (50.15 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Zachary Dorholt (49.54 percent)
Knoblach did not answer the question on the Minnesota Family Institute's survey.
Dorholt "voted in favor of the Garofalo amendment supporting wider access to cannabis for sick and dying Minnesotans than was afforded by the final bill signed into law," according to NORML-MN's voter guide.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 17A: Tim Miller (55.37 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Andrew Falk (44.46 percent)
In several debates (example: KWLM radio), Miller claimed support for the current law, but each time added his misgivings about the availability of any drug not approved by the FDA; given that cannabis is a Schedule I drug, federal approval is unlikely. He also stated that since family members have experienced substance abuse issues, he's reluctant to support measures that might allow easier access to cannabis.
Miller also completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he opposed "Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes." This answer contradicts his answers in public debates during the campaign.
Falk supported the Garfalo amendment, as well as authoring an "overflow" bill that mirrored HF1818 (Dibble bill).
Bluestem assessment: Miller opposes expanding the law, and has provided conflicting answers about support for any legal medical cannabis.
House District 17B: DFL Rep. Mary Sawatzky (49.27 percent) v. Dave Baker (50.66 percent)
Baker did not answer the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Sawatzky supported the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 24B: Brian Daniels (50.87 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Patti Fritz (49 percent)
Daniels completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?" (embedded PDF below)
Fritz supported the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Daniels is likely to oppose expansion of Minnesota's cannabis law.
House District 27A: Peggy Bennett (53.04 percent) defeated DFL Rep. Shannon Savick (39.93 percent)
Bennett did not answer the Minnesota Family Institute's survey.
Savick supported the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 56B: DFL Rep. Will Morgan (45.83 percent) v. Roz Peterson (53.99 percent)
Peterson did not answer the Minnesota Family Institute's survey.
Morgan voted for the 2014 medical cannabis bill.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown
Net change: Four legislators who cast pro-medical cannabis votes were defeated by candidates opposed to medical marijuana being legal
New legislators: open seats/incumbent defeated in endorsement
House District 7A: Jennifer Schultz (DFL, replaces Thomas Huntley)
Schultz appears to support the 2014 law.
Huntley voted for the 2014 law.
Bluestem assessment: No change
House District 19B: Jack Considine (DFL, replaces Kathy Brynaert)
Considine supports the current law.
Brynaert voted for the 2014 law.
Bluestem assessment: No change.
House District 20A: Bob Vogel (R, replaces Kelby Woodard)
Vogel did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Woodard voted against the 2014 law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 26B: Nels Pierson (R, replaces Mike Benson)
Pierson did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Mike Benson voted against the 2014 law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 30B: Eric Lucero (R, replaces David FitzSimmons)
Lucero provided a qualified answer to the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
FitzSimmons had supported the senate version of the bill and voted for the medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown.
House District 34B: Dennis Smith (R, replaces Kurt Zellers)
Smith did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Zellers voted against the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown
House District 35A: Abigail Whelan (R, replaces Jim Abeler)
Whelan completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that she answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?"
Abeler did not vote on the final 2014 bill or the earlier House version of the bill.
Bluestem assessment: Whelan will oppose expansion of the 2014 law.
House District 44B: Jon Applebaum (DFL, replaces John Benson)
Applebaum's position is unknown.
Benson voted for the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown
House District 46B: Cheryl Youakim (DFL, replaces Steve Simon)
Youakim's position is unknown.
Simon voted for the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem assessment: Unknown
House District 47A: Jim Nash (R, replaces Ernie Leidiger)
Nash completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that he answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?"
Leidiger voted against the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem's assessment: No change.
Bluestem Assessment: Nash will oppose expansion of the medical cannabis law.
House District 53B: Kelly Fenton (R, replaces Andrea Kieffer)
Fenton completed the Minnesota Family Institute's questionaire, stating that she answered "yes" to "Oppose Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Purposes?"
Kieffer voted for the Garofalo amendment and the final bill.
Bluestem Assessment: Fenton will oppose expansion of the medical cannabis law.
House District 55A: Bob Loonan (R, replaces Micharl Beard)
Loonan did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Beard supported the 2014 medical cannabis bill.
Bluestem Assessment: Unknown.
House District 56A: Drew Christensen (R, replaces Pam Myhra)
Christensen did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Myhra opposed the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem Assessment: Unknown.
House District 58A: Jon Koznick (R, replaces Mary Liz Holberg)
Koznick did not return the Minnesota Family Institute survey.
Holberg did not vote on the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem Assessment: Unknown.
House District 64B: Dave Pinto (DFL, replaces Michael Paymar)
Pinto's position is unknown.
Paymar supported the 2014 medical cannabis law.
Bluestem Assessment: Unknown.
Open seat/endorsement battle change total: 2 opposed to legal medical cannabis
Total change: six new opponents to medical cannabis, although many new legislators' positions are unclear.
Here are the pdfs of the Minnesota Family Institute Voter Guide pages for Minnesota House candidates. First the Greater Minnesota guide:
Minnesota Family Institute 2014 Voter Guide: MN House Candidates
Now the Metro version:
Minnesota Family Institute Metro 2014 Online Voters Guide
Photo: Medical marijuana advocates who support expanding the number of patients eligible to use legal medical marijuana. Via MPR.
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