If you missed it, the House State Affairs Committee killed a Senate bill that would allow for patients with some types of epilepsy to obtain cannabis-derived oil. The bill died on an 8-8 tie vote, according to Kimberlee Kruesi of the Associate Press, with one absent committee member: Rep. Paulette Jordan, D-Plummer.
The missed vote came just after a story from The Lewiston Tribune’s Bill Spence on House Majority Caucus Spokeswoman Cindy Agidius coming under fire for publicly criticizing Jordan this legislative session. Jordan beat Agidius, a Republican who represented District 5, in last year’s general election, and Agidius was subsequently hired as the House GOP caucus spokesperson.
One of Agidius’ criticisms: Jordan missed a committee meeting earlier this session on legislation concerning concealed weapons, Agidius said. This came after Jordan attacked Agidius during the campaign for missing the guns on campus vote in 2013.
Had Jordan been at Monday’s committee meeting for the CBD oil vote, the bill likely would have passed out of committee; Jordan told Idaho Reports producer Seth Ogilvie that she supports the legislation.
Ogilvie asked Jordan on Tuesday why she missed Monday’s vote. The answer: She was at a National Indian Gaming Association board meeting.
“It was a meeting two years in the making and I couldn’t get out of it,” Jordan said, adding she was under the impression the legislation had enough votes to get out of committee. “I wish I could have been there. I would have voted yes, but it was not possible.”
She also said she “shouldn’t be held to a double standard on this.”
