The recriminalization of marijuana in Oregon, House Bill 3466, died dramatically as the legislative session adjourned before dawn Saturday morning, June 10, 1995.
Marijuana remains decriminalized in Oregon as an infraction, much like a traffic ticket.
Activists to tax and regulate marijuana organized to kill HB3466 by mobilizing thousands of phone calls and testimony in opposition to the bill. The sponsor of the bill to recriminalize marijuana, Jerry Grisham R-Beavercreek, stated that the bill was meant to counter our initiative petition to regulate the legal sales of marijuana in state liquor stores. HB 3466 was one of two that the Democrats blocked from a Senate vote in a frantic final rush of legislation. If the bill had come to the floor it would have passed, since the Democrats were outnumbered 19 to 11 in the State Senate and all but one Republican was in favor of the recriminalization of marijuana. If the bill had passed it would have gone to the Governor's desk.