The General Affairs Committee heard joint testimony March 3 on a pair of bills that seek to regulate, tax and establish licensure for medical cannabis in Nebraska following approval of two ballot initiatives by voters last November.
The successful ballot measures protect qualified individuals from legal penalties for possessing and using medical cannabis when recommended by a health care practitioner and create the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to oversee the industry.
The commission is required to establish criteria to accept or deny applications for registered cannabis establishments by July 1, 2025.
LB651, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, would provide a regulatory framework for medical cannabis and establish licenses for cultivators, dispensaries, product manufacturers, testing facilities and "vertical" facilities — those that both cultivate and dispense products.
Read more at Unicameral Update