As a legislative probe into the rollout of Missouri's medical cannabis program has expanded into Gov. Mike Parson's office, a Neosho-area lawmaker is working to remove a cap on the number of medical cannabis licenses set by the state.
Though he said he voted against Amendment 2 in 2018, Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, said that when voters approved the medical cannabis amendment, they didn't approve a maximum number. His amendment removes a limit placed by the Department of Health and Senior Services.
"When Amendment 2 was passed, there was language about a minimum of licenses to be issued," Baker said. "The department arbitrarily set a cap at that minimum. What (Baker's amendment) does is rescind a rule the department made and doesn't change the statute voters passed."
Removing that limit effectively negates the need for a scoring process the state used to grant licenses, Baker said. That scoring process led a House panel to launch an investigation into allegations of irregularities and alleged conflicts of interest.
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