Equal Benefits Ordinance, medical marijuana go to committee

The Long Beach City's Council's Economic Development and Finance Committee doesn't usually draw a crowd, but Monday's meeting may be different.

Two politically charged and controversial issues -- an Equal Benefits Ordinance for domestic partners such as gay couples and potential regulation of medical marijuana dispensaries -- are going before the committee, which meets at 4:30 p.m. in City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.

The Equal Benefits Ordinance, proposed by Councilman Robert Garcia, would require that city contractors that already provide spousal benefits to their employees also include domestic partners in their benefits plan. Part of the reason for the ordinance is to give benefits to gay couples. Garcia is one of two openly gay council members. The council voted in July to send the matter to committee, where it was supposed to be discussed in August, but it may have been delayed because of the council's budget talks.

The second issue going to the committee has its own kind of controversy.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are popping up more and more around Long Beach, but they are unregulated and nobody knows exactly how many there are. Their numbers have been estimated at up to 40. The council voted unanimously Aug. 4 to have City Attorney Robert Shannon report within 60 days about the feasibility, legality and enforcement of ordinances on medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives, which are also known as dispensaries or clubs.

The Economic Development and Finance Committee will vet the issue Monday and then could make recommendations to the full council, though the council wouldn't have to support the committee's plan. The committee members are council members Rae Gabelich, Gary DeLong and Tonia Reyes Uranga.