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Stateline Midwest Stateline Vol. 25, No. 9 • September 2016 MidwestTHE MIDWESTERN OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS INSIDE CSG Midwest Issue Briefs 2-3 Marijuana initiatives, legislation • Economic Development: Michigan makes moves this summer to be driverless-car leader • Midwest-Canada Relations: New studies slowly taking root in the Midwest explore depth of cross-border supply chains • Agriculture: Fish farming in Great Lakes gets attention of Michigan legislators Ohio joins Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan in legalizing medical • Health & Human Services: States seek ways to improve access to lifesaving allergy drug marijuana; North Dakota residents to vote on it in November Around the Region 4 by Jon Davis ([email protected]) A review of ballot proposals in the Midwest — from the death penalty to legislative pay s the movement to legalize marijua- one year later (via legislative action in Marijuana laws in Midwest na — or, at least, medical marijuana those two states). MLC Chair’s Initiative 5 A— gathers steam, the Midwest is Curiously, and perhaps somewhat A look at new steps being taken in Iowa living up to its reputation as neither the counterintuitively in this hyper-partisan to improve youth mental health services first nor last region of the country to era, medical marijuana seems to be a adopt big changes. mellower subject that cuts across party Question of the Month 5 There are no signs that any state in What alternatives to marriage are lines. recognized by states in the Midwest? the region is ready to follow Colorado, Earlier this year in Iowa, House Washington, Oregon and Alaska by Democrats teamed up with the “nay” side Profile 8 fully legalizing recreational use, although of a divided Republican caucus to defeat HF marijuana industry observers say that has Ohio House Minority Leader Fred Strahorn Medical marijuana legal and 2097, which would have allowed Iowans to more to do with the industry’s “coasts possession decriminalized purchase cannabis oil in other states and FirstPerson 9 first” focus. bring it home for medicinal purposes. But Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota Medical marijuana legal Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson That same measure also would have and, as of June 8, Ohio, have established on preventing elder financial exploitation Possession decriminalized added multiple sclerosis and cancer with medical marijuana programs. In addition, No legal medical marijuana; possession prognoses of 12 months or less of life to CSG News & Events 10 four states in the Midwest — Illinois, still criminalized intractable epilepsy as eligible conditions Legislators from across Midwest successfully Minnesota, Ohio and Nebraska — have Source: Marijuana Policy Project for treatment. (Iowa currently allows complete CSG Midwest leadership program decriminalized the possession of small intractable epilepsy patients only to use amounts of marijuana. medicinal cannabidiol, but does not allow Capitol Clips 12 North Dakotans will vote in November session of two ounces or less — a law under it to be manufactured in the state). • State-run retirement plans get federal boost on a ballot proposal to legalize medical which poet John Sinclair was sentenced In Ohio this year, HB 523 passed the • Minnesota funds big prekindergarten expansion marijuana; A Michigan petition to fully to 10 years in prison for possessing two Republican-controlled Legislature — 67-29 • Ohio joins states with ‘Safe At Home’ programs legalize weed was ruled ineligible because joints. in the House and 18-15 in the Senate — and • Teacher sharing spreads in South Dakota some signatures were gathered outside The Sinclair arrest led to a national was signed into law by Republican Gov. John the official circulation window, and the “freedom rally” and even a John Lennon Kasich. (In contrast, the medical marijuana Stateline Midwest is published 12 times a year state Supreme Court declined to bypass song; three days after the rally, Michigan’s by the Midwestern Office of an appellate hearing on the matter. Supreme Court ruled the state’s marijuana laws in Illinois and Minnesota were passed The Council of State Governments. “It’s not the first region to take on laws unconstitutional. by Democratic legislatures and governors.) In 2008, Michigan became the first Rep. Steven Huffman, a medical doc- Annual subscription rate: $60. marijuana issues, but not the last. It’s To order, call 630.925.1922. really representative of where the country Midwestern state to legalize medical tor who sponsored the Ohio bill, said its as a whole is,” says Karen O’Keefe, direc- marijuana (via a ballot measure), fol- success was based on the will of voters in tor of state policies for the Marijuana lowed by Illinois in 2013 and Minnesota the state. Polls had showed support for Policy Project, who nonetheless predicts PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 that one or two Midwest states will be among the next wave of legalization by CSG Midwestern Office Staff 2020. No Midwestern state has legalized marijuana for recreational use, Michael H. McCabe, Director Ironically, the Midwest originally was Tim Anderson, Publications Manager but four states have instituted on the front line of the decriminalization Jon Davis, Assistant Editor/Policy Analyst medical marijuana programs and Cindy Calo Andrews, Assistant Director debate. or/decriminalized possession of Ilene K. Grossman, Assistant Director The Michigan city of Ann Arbor small amounts of the drug. The Lisa R. Janairo, Program Director decriminalized possession in 1972 (a year Laura Kliewer, Senior Policy Analyst region as a whole is in the middle, Gail Meyer, Office Manager before Oregon became the first state to but not among the vanguard, of the Laura A. Tomaka, Senior Program Manager switch possession of an ounce or less from national debate over legalization. Kathy Treland, Administrative Coordinator and Meeting Planner a criminal to a civil charge) in reaction to a Katelyn Tye, Policy Analyst state law requiring a year in prison for pos- CSG MIDWEST ISSUE BRIEFS Issue Briefs cover topics of interest to the various groups and policy committees of CSG Midwest, including the Midwestern Legislative Conference, Great Lakes Legislative Caucus, Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission and Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee. Economic Development also making statutory changes to ensure that With new bills and initiatives, % of U.S. automobile jobs in Michigan seeks to be hub of Michigan can be at the forefront of research and Midwest, 2014 (industry % of state’s development. driverless-vehicle activity job force in parentheses) “Autonomous vehicle technology continues sing a site where B-24 bombers were made to develop, but current law is becoming outdated 0.4% during World War II in a factory built by as technology advances,” says Sen. Horn, chair (7.5%) 1.5% Henry Ford, Michigan hopes to build on its of the Economic Development and International U (3.7%) heritage as a hub of automotive manufacturing 0.4% 2.5% Investment Committee. (He also serves as co- (5.9%) and innovation and become the world’s leader in (6.8%) 13.0% chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference autonomous vehicle technology. 1.1% (19.9%) Economic Development Committee.) 0.6% (4.6%) 8.7% In July, citing the creation of more and better (4.5%) “In order to compete, Michigan must evolve.” 5.7% 5.8% (11.0%) jobs in the state’s thriving automotive industry, (6.3%) (13.0%) The four Senate bills specify that companies Gov. Rick Snyder announced the approval of $17 0.8% will be able to operate driverless vehicles on public (4.0%) million in startup funds for the creation of the roads provided that an operator is able to supervise American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti. Source: Center for Automotive Research and control the vehicle. The facility at the former Willow Run site The legislation also sets standards for these will be a public-private venture focused on in Michigan announced that it will commit $22 cars and requirements that crash data for fleets of testing, verification and self-certification of con- million to the university’s Mobility Transformation autonomous vehicles be collected. That informa- nected and automated vehicles and other mobility Center over the next four years to advance research tion would then be used to improve technologies technologies. and development on artificial intelligence, robotics and ensure consumer safety. The center is a joint initiative among the state and autonomous driving. The legislative package received committee (working through the Michigan Department That center’s mission is to collaborate with in- approval in August. of Transportation and the Michigan Economic dustry and government to accelerate development “Data shows that more than 90 percent of auto Development Corporation), the University of of voluntary standards for automated vehicles. accidents are caused [by] human error,” Horn says. Michigan, business leaders and Ann Arbor Meanwhile, a legislative package (SB 995-998) “And if we can remain integral in the development SPARKS. now making its way through the state Senate would of technology to reduce these errors, I think it will In addition, the Toyota Research Institute authorize the American Center for Mobility, while be a great move for our state.” Brief written by Laura Tomaka, staff liaison to the Midwestern Legislative Conference Economic Development Committee. She can be reached at [email protected]. The committee’s co-chairs are Michigan Sen. Ken Horn and Nebraska Sen. Heath Mello. Midwest-Canada Relations ‘Buy America’-type rules at in the United States, and vice versa. In 2014, U.S. content accounted for nearly $70 Value of U.S. content in Canadian- odds with vitality of cross- made products, 2014 border supply chains billion of the value of Canadian manufacturing output (8.5 percent of the total value), according Canadian economic sector U.S. content value upply chains linking Canadian and U.S. to a report commissioned and released this year Manufacturing (total)* $69.9 billion companies play a crucial role in provincial by the Embassy of Canada; likewise, Canadian Sand state economies, and two recent studies content in U.S.
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