The Mississippi Supreme Court will hear the case brought before it by the City of Madison and Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler regarding the process by which the medical marijuana Initiative 65 was placed on the ballot on November 3rd.
Initiative 65 was overwhelmingly adopted by Mississippi voters, and the Mississippi Department of Health has stated that they are in the process of implementing the provisions in the new constitutional amendment.
Madison and its Mayor argue that due to the constitutional provision that signatures must be collected from the state’s old five congressional districts, the required number of signatures were not obtained.
Secretary of State Michael Watson maintains that the process used was similar to what has occurred in the past, with the former Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann relying on an Attorney General’s opinion by then AG Jim Hood.
The state Supreme Court set a briefing schedule that requires Madison and Mayor Butler to submit a brief by December 7th, with Secretary Watson to follow by December 28th. Madison then must reply to that by January 7, 2021. No extensions will be granted.
The order, signed by Justice Josiah Coleman, states that the proceeding shall be
given preference over ordinary civil cases.
MSSC Madison v Watson by yallpolitics on Scribd
Frank Corder
