1:50PM ET

 Arrived at the NJ State Capitol Complex.  Fully checked in with computer online and radio field kit ready. NJ has the second oldest state house in continuous use. The remodeling of the historic complex has created a labyrinth of hallways. Don't know if I have ever been as grateful to the NJ State Police as their help finding my way up to the Senate Chamber today...

Floor session starts in 10 minutes. This is a live blog and will be updated regularly.

 2:05

Still waiting to begin....

2:15

Gonna be another 15 minutes...tough to tell the lobbyists from the legislators...getting a lot of stares at my NJ Medical Marijuana lapel pin - it's an outline of NJ, a white cross and a green leaf

2:22

Could be a long day...also on the agenda: Handguns, Police Training, Acupuncturists, Assisted Living, Solar energy, paper trail for voting machines....list goes on...but SB119 is in the top half...

 2:30

Still waiting for the session to start, there are a number of medical marijuana supporters here...

 2:40

Still in a holding pattern for the session start....have enough time for a cigarette...back in 10 

2:55 still waiting...thankfully NJ Transit keeps a tighter schedule than the Senate...

3:02- Took this pic on a smoke break, a cold blustery day in Trenton...but any day is a beautiful one to pass a Medical Marijuana Bill!

3:14

Jim Miller and Ken Wolski from the Coalition for Medical Marijuana of New Jersey are here www.cmmnj.org .....met an NRA rep who is a fellow nicotine inhaler...

3:20

There are only 40 State Senators so the Chamber is a rather cozy affair.  Huge marble columns flank well polished wood desks and benches. The seating is in a traditional rotunda, and the gallery seats are folding wooden affairs that could be found in any old theatre...kind of nostalgic....but not so comfy

3:25

Finally under way

3:29

All 40 Senators present

3:31

It was the Senate Majority Caucus that held everything up apparantly...

3:40

If anyone else would like to join me in observing the Garden State government in progress, I found a live webfeed:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp

3:44

Sen. Wozniak Lesniak honored by France for anti-death penalty speech in Canne...a little odd to hear French on the NJ Senate Floor....especially spoken with a NJ accent....

3:52

10 female NJ senators...but still no women's room near the chambers....much to the chagrin of the 10 apparantly...

3:55

S119 UP NOW!!!

3:56

Cardinale (R) speaking in opposition

- prohibition is "to protect people from the notion {that marijuana} is harmless"

- "it says you can grow this stuff...how do we control what happens with those plants? Who's going to go into all those homes and see that it's 6 plants, not 7 or 10"

-"as the bill is drafted I can't [support it]" 

- "what will our children think of us "

 4:02

Senator Scutari (Bill Main Sponsor) speaking in rebuttal

"Who checks the plant output? Who checks it now? People are already gowing it"

Scutari quotes Feb 2009 White House statement on ending federal raids

"This committment to the value we put on human life....it is in this spirit that I promose the Compassonate Use of Marijuana Act"

4:06

"This is not the legalization of marijuana for adult use...as a former prosecutor I find those arguments on this cynical..."

Scutari carefully explaining safeguards in bill and outlines patient registry and patient rules

4:08

"Society has the capacity to differentiate between the medical use and recreational abuse of a substance."

"12 states allow the medical use of marijuana.... Our law will be the tighest of any of them"

"I think back to the many stories of people talking about thier medical connditions.....are those the poeople we want to prosecute?"

4:11

Sen Baroni - speaking in support

"I studied every document from every point of view, spoke with passionate advocates and determined opponants..." "In the end this bill is about suffering dyng people"

4:15

Baroni reading patient testimony Charles Kutowski (sp?) from the Senate Health Comittee hearing where the bill passed.

Baroni "Can there be a greater calling for us than to actually ease people's suffering?"

4:19 Sen Lesniak

"My conscience tells me we should ease people's pain and suffering"

"We by not allowing this use, are prolonging suffering and causing more pain"

4:20

Sen Madden

Supported bill on Health Committee

4:22

"under the current language of this bill I'm going to have to vote no"

Cites teen use and dispensaries in CA

4:23

VOTE

22-16

PASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BAD PHELPS JOKE AT END BY CODY

###