The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday approved a bill that will repeal Montana’s current medical marijuana law and replace it with a much stricter regulatory system designed to drastically reduce the number of cardholders and squeeze the profits out of the industry. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday approved a bill that will repeal Montana’s current medical marijuana law and replace it with a much stricter regulatory system designed to drastically reduce the number of cardholders and squeeze the profits out of the industry.

Senate Bill 423, by Sen. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, cleared the committee by a 10-2 vote after some major amendments, including the repeal language, and will be heard by the full Senate on Monday. The current law would be repealed July 1, with the bill setting up a transition schedule.

The 49-page bill, written in less than a week by a three-member subcommittee, is on the legislative fast track, at least in the Senate. It received mixed reviews in a hearing earlier Friday.

Sen. Greg Hinkle, R-Thompson Falls, who voted against the bill, said, “I think we’ve gone way too fast on this thing.”

Also opposing the bill was Sen. Larry Jent, D-Bozeman, who favors a repeal.