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Kansas lawmakers on Friday held the latest in a series of meetings of a committee charged with preparing a medical cannabis legalization bill that the full legislature can consider in the 2023 session.<\/p>\n
Sen. Robert Olson (R), who chairs the Special Committee on Medical Marijuana, also announced that members are set to tour a cultivation facility in neighboring Missouri to see how a legal cannabis program works up close.<\/p>\n
Olson said that the panel\u2019s meetings so far \u201chave given me a lot of information to work on my bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat I\u2019m going to do\u2026is to take this information and create the bill,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m going to work on a bill with a couple of members\u2014and if anybody wants to sign on in the Senate, they\u2019ll be more than able to sign on to that bill\u2014and introduce it at the beginning of the session.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that House members who are part of the bicameral special committee are more than welcome to work on separate legislation in their chamber if they like.<\/p>\n
During Friday\u2019s hearing<\/a>, lawmakers were briefed by Kansas Legislative Research Department staff on a variety of topics, including how other medical cannabis states handle issues such as seed-to-sale tracking, THC potency and purchasing limits, local taxes, licensing tiers, social equity and packaging and labeling of products.<\/p>\n\n After members tour the Missouri grow facility next Wednesday, they will hold a final panel meeting on Thursday to discuss and finalize the committee\u2019s recommendations, which will be used to inform legislation for the new session.<\/p>\n A separate Kansas committee on workforce development met late last month and approved a resolution encouraging the legislature to \u201cproceed with caution\u201d on marijuana reform<\/a>, expressing that legalization could have implications for the workforce shortages in the state.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, at the medical marijuana panel\u2019s last hearing<\/a> in October, members focused on the \u201cpublic policy implications\u201d of the reform, receiving testimony from stakeholders and advocates about\u00a0how to effectively regulate the market, touching on issues like track-and-trace, the pros and cons of licensing caps and the role that physicians should play.<\/p>\n The bicameral committee, which was formed in June<\/a>,\u00a0convened for an initial meeting<\/a> in October that involved state officials, law enforcement and an Oklahoma medical cannabis regulator giving their perspective on the issue.<\/p>\n In the midst of these discussions, a spokesperson for the top Kansas GOP senator recently\u00a0said the issue is \u201cnot a priority\u201d<\/a>\u2014prompting pushback from House Democratic leadership.<\/p>\n The spokesperson said that Senate President Ty Masterson (R) recognizes that the reform issue is \u201cmaturing,\u201d adding that any federal action \u201cwould be more evidence of that.\u201d However, \u201cit is not a priority\u201d for the senator, who wields significant influence over what legislation advances.<\/p>\n While advocates were disappointed that lawmakers were unable to pass a medical cannabis bill by the end of the 2022 session in May\u2014despite considerable momentum and the support of Gov. Laura Kelly (D)\u2014the hope is that the committee\u2019s work will lay the groundwork for meaningful action when the legislature convenes again.<\/p>\n The special\u00a0panel\u00a0is comprised of members appointed by the House speaker and Senate president.<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (D) said in June that he\u2019s \u201cbeen pretty frustrated that we have yet to get a bill passed,\u201d while acknowledging that the\u00a0House voted to legalize medical marijuana<\/a>\u00a0last year only to see a relative lack of action in the Senate.<\/p>\n The Senate did hold several hearings on cannabis reform this year, but members never got around to scheduling a vote. Late in the session, legislative leaders formed a\u00a0bicameral conference committee that was tasked with arriving at a deal<\/a>\u00a0that could pass both chambers, although that didn\u2019t pan out by the time lawmakers adjourned.<\/p>\n Democratic lawmakers made a final push to\u00a0enact medical cannabis legalization before the legislative deadline<\/a>, but Olson said in May that the \u201cheavy load\u201d his committee had to carry on other issues meant that lawmakers would not be \u201cgetting this measure across the finish line this session.\u201d<\/p>\n Members of the House and Senate Federal and State Affairs Committees held two public conference meetings in April to discuss a way to merge the House-passed medical marijuana bill with a\u00a0separate one that Senate lawmakers began considering<\/a>\u00a0this year. At the last official meeting, lawmakers from the House side went through areas where they were willing to concede to differences in the other chamber\u2019s bill, as well as provisions they wanted to keep from their own measure.<\/p>\n In general, the two chambers\u2019 proposals were already fairly similar, sharing numerous key provisions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an overview of the key provisions where\u00a0the<\/a>\u00a0bills<\/a>\u00a0from the House and Senate already overlapped:<\/strong><\/p>\n Patients with any of more than 20 qualifying conditions\u2014including cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson\u2019s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and autoimmune disorders\u2014would be eligible for medical cannabis.<\/p>\n Patients would be entitled to obtain a 30-day supply of medical cannabis products at a time.<\/p>\n Possession of up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana by a person who isn\u2019t registered as a patient would be decriminalized, punishable by a maximum fine of $400.<\/p>\n Patients\u2019 medical cannabis recommendations would be valid for 90 days, after which point a physician could renew the recommendations for three additional periods. Then extensions could be authorized following a physical examination of the patient annually.<\/p>\n Medical cannabis sales would be subject to the state sales tax of 5.75 percent, with the option of adding a local tax.<\/p>\n Multiple regulatory bodies would be in charge of administering the program. The state Department of Health and Environment, Board of Healing Arts, Board of Pharmacy and a renamed Alcohol and Cannabis Control division would each play a role in the regulations.<\/p>\n The legislation would also establish a medical marijuana advisory committee to help oversee the program and issue recommendations.<\/p>\n The bill calls for five different license types: cultivators, processors, laboratories, distributors and retailers. People would be rendered ineligible for a medical marijuana licenses if they\u2019ve been convicted of a felony, unless that conviction was expunged at least 10 years before the application is submitted.<\/p>\n There would also be a 35 percent THC cap on marijuana plant material.<\/p>\n Counties would be able to enact local bans on permitting marijuana retailers from operating within their jurisdictions through the adopt of a resolution.<\/p>\n With respect to equity provisions, there does not appear to be an explicit pathway for expungements.<\/p>\n \u2014 Here are some of the changes that the House said it was willing to accept from the Senate bill:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Pushing back the effective date of the law and deadlines for its implementation.<\/p>\n Removing a 70 percent THC cap on cannabis concentrates.<\/p>\n Out-of-state patients would have reciprocity to both possess and purchase marijuana if they\u2019re registered with their state.<\/p>\n Preventing discrimination in real estate transactions to lease or sell property to registered medical marijuana patients.<\/p>\n Keep the Senate\u2019s licensing application requirements, terms of licensing and rules on where cannabis businesses can operate.<\/p>\n Requiring certain security measures at medical marijuana businesses.<\/p>\n Requiring the state to enter into agreements with tribal governments in order to exchange cannabis.<\/p>\n Doctors wouldn\u2019t have to start \u201cprescribing,\u201d rather than recommending, medical marijuana if the federal government reclassifies cannabis.<\/p>\n Here are some areas where the House insisted on its version, or offered a compromise:<\/strong><\/p>\n Maintaining most of the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana, which includes more than 20 ailments, but keeping its more limited language and removing glaucoma.<\/p>\n Allowing people to receive a medical marijuana business licenses after at least three years of residency in Kansas. The original House bill called for four years, while the Senate had two years.<\/p>\n Allowing regulators to create a unique payment process system for cannabis sales in coordination with the state treasurer.<\/p>\n Keeping a $500 license fee for associated employees of medical marijuana businesses, but lowering fees for other employee types.<\/p>\n Keeping state and local licensing eligibility requirements as stated in the House bill.<\/p>\n There were some additional outstanding items that members hadn\u2019t quite decided on as of April\u2019s meeting and said they needed additional time to work. Those issues are related to advertising requirements, rules for cultivation facilities, licensing fees, creating a pilot program for medical cannabis and employment discrimination.<\/p>\n Sawyer and Assistant Minority Leader Jason Probst (D) said in January that they wanted to\u00a0let voters decide on legalizing medical and adult-use marijuana<\/a>\u00a0in the state.<\/p>\n The governor, for her part, wants to see medical cannabis legalization enacted, and she said earlier this year that she \u201cabsolutely\u201d thinks the bill could pass if \u201ceverything else doesn\u2019t take up all the oxygen.\u201d<\/p>\n She previously pushed a separate proposal that would\u00a0legalize medical cannabis and use the resulting revenue<\/a>\u00a0to support Medicaid expansion, with Rep. Brandon Woodard (D)\u00a0filing the measure on the governor\u2019s behalf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kelly has she said she wants voters to put\u00a0pressure on their representatives to get the reform passed<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following President Joe Biden\u2019s announcement on pardoning people who\u2019ve committed federal marijuana possession offenses and imploring governors to follow suit, Kelly said that her administration is \u201cfocused on legalizing medical marijuana<\/a>\u00a0so that Kansans with severe illnesses no longer have to suffer.<\/p>\n She added that they will \u201ccontinue to consider all clemency and pardon requests based on a complete and thorough review of the individual cases.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor also said in 2020 that while she wouldn\u2019t personally advocate for adult-use legalization, she\u00a0wouldn\u2019t rule out signing the reform<\/a>\u00a0into law if a reform bill arrived on her desk.<\/p>\n New York Officials Explain Rules For Marijuana Delivery Services That Will Serve Consumers Before Dispensaries Open<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis \/\/ Side Pocket Images.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Kansas Lawmakers To Tour Marijuana Grow Facility In Missouri As They Finalize Medical Cannabis Bill For 2023<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Kansas lawmakers on Friday held the latest in a series of meetings of a committee charged with preparing a medical cannabis legalization bill that the full legislature can consider in the 2023 session. Sen. Robert Olson (R), who chairs the Special Committee on Medical Marijuana, also announced that members areContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":59188,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59187"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59189,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59187\/revisions\/59189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: Kansas Lawmakers To Tour Marijuana Grow Facility In Missouri As They Finalize Medical Cannabis Bill For 2023<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"