Nebraska medical cannabis bill fails; licensing pushed to October

Nebraska probably won’t begin issuing medical cannabis licenses until October after the state Legislature failed to pass a bill that would have established regulations for the industry.

With Legislative Bill 677 failing to pass the Senate this week, the state Medical Marijuana Commission is tasked with creating the rules and regulations, according to Nebraska Public Media.

The commission has until July 31 to create the regulations, Omaha TV station KETV reported.

The failed bill included more restrictions than the ballot initiative that voters overwhelming approved last fall.

Under the approved ballot initiative, medical marijuana patients can obtain up to 5 ounces of MMJ with a physician’s recommendation, and any part of the flower can be used.

Nebraska senators introduced four different bills to regulate the MMJ program during the legislative session this year, and state Sen. Ben Hansen’s LB 677 got the most traction.

The Legislature’s General Affairs Committee amended the bill to include 15 valid conditions and permit patients to possess up to 5 ounces of marijuana but only 2 ounces in the form of dried flower.

The compromise bill, AM 1251, was voted out of committee, Nebraska Public Media reported.

According to Omaha TV station WOWT, Gov. Jim Pillen recently made two appointments to the Medical Marijuana Commission, Lorelle Mueting and Monica Oldenburg.

Mueting testified earlier this year that Hansen’s LB 677 wasn’t “restrictive enough,” WOWT noted.