Time is winding down on this legislative session. Lawmakers have not yet debated one of the hottest issues, legalizing medical marijuana.
But supporters of the bill are trying to lobby senators in person by showing why they are so passionate about getting this legal in the state.
It was an emotional day at the state Capitol as a few families met with senators hoping to sway their votes to favor medical marijuana in the state.
But some got the hard reality that not all the senators will vote their way.
Shelley and Donimic Gillen came to the Capitol with their children. One of them, Will, suffers from seizures. They say medical marijuana could benefit their son.
“We are now facing the option of brain surgery but it's also not a guarantee it's not something we want to take him through the drama of,” said Shelley Gillen.
To help sway their senator, Sue Crawford to vote their way, they formed a petition.
“This petition has 400 of your constituents demanding for you to vote for 643,” said Gillen.
Gillen said Sen. Crawford doesn’t show sympathy towards her son Will, pointing to Crawford’s support for repealing the death penalty over helping childred.
“You showed compassion for these 10 men and to spare their lives , where's the compassion for these children,” said Gillen.
Crawford said she wouldn’t support the bill.
“You tell him (Will) that you're going to vote no on this bill, Sue,” a visible upset Gillen said.
“We asked her to get down to her level to tell him that she's going to vote no on the bill and that she wouldn't support it and she wouldn't do it--because he doesn't matter to her,” said Gillen.
We caught up with Senator Crawford after this confrontation and she said she doesn’t support the bill because it needs to be tackled at the Federal level first.
“There's been movement in Congress and that's where it really has to change is in Congress,” said Crawford.
Crawford understands the outcry for this bill, but as a senator she doesn’t feel like this is the best interest for all Nebraskans.
“I understand what they are doing and as a senator. I have to do what I think is best for all the families in my district and all the families in the state and our system as a whole,” said Crawford.
The families supporting this legislation tell KMTV they have hired a lobbyist to help garner up more support for this bill.
Senator Tommy Garrett, the sponsor of this bill said he expects the bill to hit the debate floor in the coming weeks.
