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Pawlenty also signed the Legacy Amendment, which will fund outdoors and arts projects through a new sales tax.


      In his veto message of the medical marijuana bill, Pawlenty said he is "very sympathetic to
those dealing with end-of-life illnesses and accompanying pain."


      But the governor repeated that he shares law enforcement
concerns about expanded drug use.


      Pawlenty notes that the bill would have allowed marijuana to be
produced and distributed for medical purposes without any federal
oversight.
      

The bill gives police the ability to pull over and ticket motorists solely because they or their passengers aren't buckled up.

Currently, law enforcement must spot another traffic offense to make the stop. The seat belt violation carries a $25 fine.

Pawlenty also signed the Legacy Amendment legislation that provides money to outdoor and arts projects with only one, $200,000, line-item veto. 

The money comes from a constitutional amendment voters approved last fall which will raise the sales tax by 3/8 percent for 25 years. The tax is expected to raise more than $230 million in the next year.


      (The Associated Press contributed to this report)

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Politics and Government News

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has vetoed a bill that
would have allowed medical use of marijuana for terminally ill
patients, but signed a bill allowing law enforcement officers to pull over motorists for not wearing a seat belt.

Pawlenty vetoes medical marijuana, signs seat belt and legacy amendment bills

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