House keeps advancing medical marijuana repeal

HELENA — House Republicans continued their push for full repeal of Montana's medical marijuana law fist put in place by voters in 2004.

House Speaker Mike Milburn is personally making repeal of the law a priority. He argues the multimillion dollar marijuana industry and rampant proliferation of the pot has gone far beyond what voters envisioned.

Reps. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, and Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, voted to repeal the law. Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, voted against it.

Democrats, joined by a handful of Republicans, voted against the measure in a 63-37 vote Saturday on the House floor that sets the stage for sending the repeal measure over to the Senate.

The Senate is expected to take a dimmer view of repeal as it considers other plans to dramatically ramp up regulation through new fees charged the industry.