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The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission members filed into their regular monthly meeting on Monday, one member short. Chair of the Commission, Dr. Monica Oldenburg, had just resigned. Oldenburg steered the commission since its creation last year. Lorelle Mueting will now serve as interim chair, and Gov. Jim Pillen could appoint a replacement.Critics of the commission say the resignation adds to what they view as ongoing troubles.“It is very clear this commission is not functioning and they’re not functioning for the people,” said Crista Eggers with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.State Sen. Rick Holdcroft, chair of the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee, said many of the commission’s troubles stem from a lack of funding and clear guidance. He said LB1235 is intended to address those issues by creating a framework for future funding.“This bill came to us from the Cannabis Commission, and it’s basically to fill in the gaps that were not in the referendum so that they can do their job,” Holdcroft said.Eggers, however, said the bill, which went before committee on Monday, would make the system more restrictive. She said it would give the commission more direct authority to regulate the Patient Protection Act.“This bill would immediately take patient protections away that currently exist,” Eggers said. “Some of it is a concern of when we give them more authority over conditions and forms.”Eggers argues that the bill would enshrine some of the most draconian measures already introduced by the commission, including one to bar all patient recommendations from out of the state.”At this point, there are no practitioners in our state that are recommending,” Eggers said.Another proposal discussed by the committee Monday was Legislative Bill 934, introduced by Sen. John Cavanaugh. The measure would change how commission members are selected, requiring them to be elected by voters.Advocates of medical cannabis largely supported the bill, arguing the current commission is out of step with voters and lacks accountability.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission members filed into their regular monthly meeting on Monday, one member short. Chair of the Commission, Dr. Monica Oldenburg, had just resigned.
Oldenburg steered the commission since its creation last year. Lorelle Mueting will now serve as interim chair, and Gov. Jim Pillen could appoint a replacement.
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Critics of the commission say the resignation adds to what they view as ongoing troubles.
“It is very clear this commission is not functioning and they’re not functioning for the people,” said Crista Eggers with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.
State Sen. Rick Holdcroft, chair of the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee, said many of the commission’s troubles stem from a lack of funding and clear guidance. He said LB1235 is intended to address those issues by creating a framework for future funding.
“This bill came to us from the Cannabis Commission, and it’s basically to fill in the gaps that were not in the referendum so that they can do their job,” Holdcroft said.
Eggers, however, said the bill, which went before committee on Monday, would make the system more restrictive. She said it would give the commission more direct authority to regulate the Patient Protection Act.
“This bill would immediately take patient protections away that currently exist,” Eggers said. “Some of it is a concern of when we give them more authority over conditions and forms.”
Eggers argues that the bill would enshrine some of the most draconian measures already introduced by the commission, including one to bar all patient recommendations from out of the state.
“At this point, there are no practitioners in our state that are recommending,” Eggers said.
Another proposal discussed by the committee Monday was Legislative Bill 934, introduced by Sen. John Cavanaugh. The measure would change how commission members are selected, requiring them to be elected by voters.
Advocates of medical cannabis largely supported the bill, arguing the current commission is out of step with voters and lacks accountability.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
