the News
Jan. 17, 2015
Volume 6, Issue 42
Page 11 Service and events to honor MLK
Page 2 Porn star arrested for assault Page 14 Like us at facebook.com/ rockdalenews Follow us @rockdalenews
Page 12
Serving Rockdale County and Conyers
BACK IN SESSION
man named GRTA head
RCHS has won seven straight games and 10 of its last 11. See what’s next for the team.
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Bulldogs surging
Medical marijuana hopes dashed at Capitol
The Georgia General Assembly reconvened last week for the annual Legislative Session, as required by law, to take up the task of passing an annual budget. But in addition to the budget, they’ll be tackling several large issues on the hot plate this year, from transportation to child welfare reform to education. Here’s an overview.
A last minute deal between the governor and the bill’s sponsor drops key components By Meris Lutz
news@rockdalenews.com
Mike Hopkins had hoped a new, limited medical marijuana bill in Georgia would allow him to bring his family back from Colorado, where his 17-yearold daughter, Michala, is being successfully treated for seizures and pain with cannabis oil. But a last minute deal between Governor Nathan Deal and the bill’s sponsor, Macon. Rep. Allen Peake, has gutted the proposed law of key components just as the new legislative session opened this week. “’Stunned’ would be a good word,” said Hopkins, describing his reaction when he and other affected families were informed of the changes late Friday. Hopkins was among about a hundred supporters of the bill who gathered at the Capitol Tuesday. “Nobody is offering anything,” in the way of explanation, Hopkins said. “Today at the capitol I found no different answers but I did find a lot of people who were not happy with this.” Peake had pushed for a twopart bill that would protect individuals from prosecution for illegally importing cannabis oil into Georgia in the short term, and eventually create a domestic regulatory infrastructure for the cultivation and processing of cannabis oil in state. However, Deal apparently threatened to veto the bill over its growing component. “It’s not as far as I would like to go,” Peake said of the pared down bill. “At the end of the day, he’s the governor and he has the ability to sign or not sign, and he felt it needed more study.”
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See MARIJUANA on PAGE 9