Nebraska Legislature Passes Bill Giving Medical Cannabis Commission Power to Set Fees and Raise Revenue
- Nebraska lawmakers approved a bill allowing the state Medical Cannabis Commission to set fees and raise revenue, marking the first legislation related to voter-approved medical cannabis to pass in the state.
- Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, described the bill’s passage as a small but positive step toward establishing an accessible medical cannabis program.
- The commission would gain authority to set application fees (capped at $50,000), collect various funds, and require background checks for license applicants under the bill LB 933.
- LB 933 passed its initial debate 30-7, needs two more rounds of approval by April 17, and requires at least 33 votes to become law.
Nebraska lawmakers last week approved a bill to allow the state Medical Cannabis Commission to set fees and raise revenue, the Nebraska Examiner reports. The legislation is the first-ever bill related to the voter-approved medical cannabis to be approved by state lawmakers.
Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, told the Examiner that the bill’s passage is “one very small step” but “something to celebrate.”
“Still so much that has to be done to turn this into a program patients can actually access. And until we see that day, we cannot call it success.” — Eggers to the Examiner
Lawmakers are currently considering another bill that is important for the state’s medical cannabis program to function. LB 933 would pay medical cannabis commissioners $12,500 for their work; create a fund to collect fees gifts, grants, and other monies collected by the commission; authorize the commission to set medical cannabis industry application fees, with a $50,000 cap; and require medical cannabis license applicants to submit to background checks.
LB 933 passed the first round of debate 30-7 on March 20 and needs to pass two more rounds by April 17. The bill requires at least 33 votes to become law.