Passel of medical marijuana measures passes House | National News

Oklahoma’s medical marijuana laws got a going-over in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, with more than a dozen bills approved and sent to the Senate.

The measures included a moratorium of up to two years on new business licenses, steep fee increases for large grow operations, a new procedure for obtaining business licenses and authorization for the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority access to grower water and electric usage records.

Most of the 18 medical marijuana-related bills considered Wednesday passed without much ado, but one — on packaging — failed.

The bills are an effort to patch up what has proved to be a leaky regulatory framework that has helped make Oklahoma a haven for illegal marijuana growing operations camouflaged by legal grows.

Among the bills passed Wednesday:

House Bill 2179, by Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, would create a tiered licensing system for growers, and calculates the annual fee for larger and more sophisticated operations on square footage.

Growers currently pay a $2,500 annual fee regardless of size. HB 2179 would calculate the annual fee for those larger operations based on canopy size and type of grow.

HB 3208, by Rep. Rusty Cornwell, R-Vinita, applies a moratorium of up to two years on new licenses for medical marijuana business, beginning Aug. 1.

HB 3530, by Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, sets up a process by which the OMMA would pay the salaries of designated sheriff’s deputies assisting in medical marijuana enforcement.

HB 3734, by Fetgatter, puts in place a new licensing process requiring more financial and ownership information.

HB 4056, by Rep. T.J. Marti, authorizes the collection of water and electricity usage information to compare with reported production.

The bills now go to the Senate, where they face an uncertain fate given that body’s previous reluctance to take up medical marijuana reform.


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