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by Morgan Ahlstrom
Lincoln, NE — For the first time, Nebraska lawmakers have advanced legislation tied to medical cannabis, moving a bill aimed at funding and basic operations for the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission to the next round of debate.
LB1235 was introduced by the General Affairs Committee on behalf of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen. In its original form, the bill was designed to help the commission get up and running, according to committee Chairman Sen. Rick Holdcroft.
“Provides funding so that they can hire a staff and get paid, it will give them a registry so they can start registering patients to receive and also caregivers and the medical personnel who will recommend, it will establish a seed to sale program that will track essentially from the seed so we can make sure that it cuts down on any black-markets,” Holdcroft said.
But advocates said the bill initially drew significant opposition because of concerns it weakened patient protections. Crista Eggers with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said that while 75 percent of feedback was positive, 25 percent was negative and led to the removal of patient protections.
“This gives all the authority the medical cannabis commission, and while we would have hoped and would have liked to be dealing with a commission that is honoring the will of the people, that is taking public comment and public feedback into consideration, that’s not what weve seen,” Eggers said.
Sen. John Cavanaugh also criticized the commission, which is appointed by Pillen, saying it is slow-walking regulation and the will of voters. Cavanaugh introduced two bills, LB933 and LB934. LB934 would make the commission elected rather than appointed.
“Voters have been very clear on their speaking about wanting access to safe regulated access to medical cannabis and the governor and attorney general have erected hurtles to that and has frustrated the will of the voters, and so making a cannabis commission that’s elected they will be more responsive to the voters and not to the political class,” Cavanaugh said.
LB1235 advanced with little conversation and no votes against it after lawmakers attached Amendment 2178, also introduced by the General Affairs Committee. The amendment removed the controversial portions of the bill, striking changes to patient protections under state statute and leaving the measure focused on commission operations.
Under the amended version, the bill would fund the commission to facilitate licensing and provide an annual salary of $12,500 for each member, paid through a new Medical Cannabis Commission Cash Fund.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said in a statement, “Today should be celebrated. Change is happening. It may be slow. It may seem insignificant, but it’s happening.”
The bill still faces additional debate before it could reach the governor’s desk.
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