REQUEST FOR ACTION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
 
All requests may be typed and submitted to the Executive Vice President no later 5:00 p.m. Thursday in order to be included in the agenda for the following Tuesday. The Executive Vice President reserves the right to delay the Request for Action to a later Council session if the Executive Vice President feels the agenda for the next schedule meeting is full.
 
Item Number: 126 Legislation Number (B: Bill, R: Resolution): R50-109
Author:   Matthew Guevara   Second:  Zomorrodian, Pham
Synopsis: Taxation of Marijuana to support the creation of a Higher Education Fund Act
Date of Presentation: June 4th, 2015
 

 

Whereas, the Associated Students at the University of California, Santa Barbara authored by Senator Jimmy Villarreal and seconded by Derek Wakefield, have passed a similar resolution on February 12, 2015 [1][2],


Whereas, the average nationwide individual student debt has climbed over $20,000 [3],

Whereas, a dedicated revenue source needs to be established to offset the costs of higher education,

Whereas, in 2010, prison spending in California overtook spending on higher education, [4]

Whereas, the prison population of California has grown sevenfold since the start of the War on Drugs, [5]

Whereas, 1.55 million people were just arrested in 2010 on non­violent drug charges, [6]

Whereas, legalizing marijuana would substantially lower the number of people going to prison, thereby reducing the prison budget and freeing more funds available for higher education,

Whereas, marijuana has been proven to be a largely non­dangerous drug,

Whereas, Marijuana is California’s number one cash crop, valued at $15 Billion, [7]

Whereas, Colorado and Washington have already legalized marijuana for recreational use,

Whereas, California is projected to bring in $400 million of revenue from the legalization and taxation of recreational marijuana, [8]

Whereas, This resolution does not promote the use of marijuana on campus or in any other illegal contexts. UC Irvine is and will remain in compliance with the Drug­Free Schools and Communities Act and the Higher Education Act Section 120A: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, [9]

Therefore let it be resolved that ASUCI Legislative Council support the legalization and taxation of recreational marijuana usage by individuals over the age of 21 in California

Therefore let it further be resolved that ASUCI Legislative Council support using a portion of the Marijuana Tax Revenue to establish a dedicated revenue source for higher education in California (including, but not limited to, University of California, California State Universities, California Community Colleges).

[1] ­

https://www.as.ucsb.edu/senate/wp­content/uploads/gravity_forms/8­76a9d4b7c7f851eece04 28a09d6f8ce8/2014/02/A­Resolution­Supporting­the­Taxation­of­Marijuana­to­Fund­Higher­E ducation.docx

[2] ­

https://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2014/02/as­senate­declares­merits­of­marijuana­legalizatio n­learns­about­new­multi­use­structure

[3] ­ h​ttp://www.asa.org/about­us/resources/ [4]

­h​ttp://cacs.org/research/winners­and­losers­corrections­and­higher­education­in­california/

[5] ­

http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/reports/state­based _policy/PSPPprisonprojections0207pdf.pdf

[6] ­ h​ttp://www.drugpolicy.org/drug­war­statistics

[7]­

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/11/jerry­brown­no­fan­of­legalized ­marijuana/

[8] ­ ​http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pot­law­hopes­dashed­as­california­votes­down­prop­19/ [9] ­ h​ttps://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1011i 
 
Referred to: Committee on:
Vote Required: Majority FINAL VOTE: Passed YEA: 5 NAY: 0  ABS: 2
 
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ON THE DATE OF June 4th, 2015 HAS TAKEN ACTION ON THIS LEGISLATION.    
   
____________________________ _____________________________
Executive Vice President, ASUCI      Verification of Executive Cabinet