Billings “Pot” Talk is Back
Rimrock Auto Group partner, Steve Zabawa, is gathering signatures to put an initiative on the ballot to make all marijuana illegal in the state of Montana. In November 2014, Zabawa's efforts fell short after asking for signatures for less than a month. Zabawa is "SafeMontana's" founder.
Zabawa thinks that gathering signatures for a year as opposed to 2014's attempt after 20 days will make it easier to get the initiative on the November 2016 ballot. The Billings Gazette reports that 5 percent of signatures from 34 of the state's 100 legislative districts are needed for Initiative 174 to be on the ballot.
The Secretary of State's office says signatures from the petition must be submitted to county elections offices by June 17, 2016. If this issue goes to vote and it garners enough votes to win, it would also repeal the Montana Medical Marijuana Act which voters passed in 2004.
Here is how I-174 reads:
A drug on Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act would generally be illegal for all purposes unless otherwise authorized by law. I-174 also repeals the Montana Marijuana Act. If approved by the electorate in the general election, the new law would be immediately effective.