{"id":34640,"date":"2022-03-04T12:26:59","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T18:26:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=34640"},"modified":"2022-03-04T12:37:36","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T18:37:36","slug":"what-to-know-about-the-newest-round-of-oklahoma-medical-marijuana-legislation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2022\/03\/04\/what-to-know-about-the-newest-round-of-oklahoma-medical-marijuana-legislation\/","title":{"rendered":"What to know about the newest round of Oklahoma medical marijuana legislation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical marijuana remained a key focus this week in the Oklahoma State Legislature, with a slew of related bills passing through the House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fifteen marijuana bills were heard in the committee meeting Thursday morning, with many focused on reigning in illegal activity, restructuring the licensing process and regulating marijuana businesses. If adopted, the days of Oklahoma\u2019s \u201cWild West\u201d of weed may be coming to a close.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some of the marijuana bills that passed committee this week in the Oklahoma State Legislature:<\/span><\/p><p><b>Bolstering the OMMA:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3971%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3971<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would implement a secret shopper program in which employees from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) would purchase marijuana from dispensaries and send it to labs to test for contaminants and potency.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3813%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3813<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would designate OMMA inspectors as law enforcement and allow them to aid and assist in enforcement and prosecutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB4411%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB4411<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would mandate the OMMA to administer a minimum of one inspection per year for marijuana businesses and licensed facilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3208%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3208<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would issue a moratorium on business licensing for either two years or until the OMMA can complete all pending license reviews, inspections and investigations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB4055%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB4055<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would require public utility companies to submit monthly reports to the OMMA of how much water, electricity and\/or other public utilities are being used by commercial growers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><b>Restructuring the licensure process:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3634%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3634<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would create a wholesaler tier of licensing to deal with sales and distribution channels of marijuana.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20AMENDMENTS\/House\/HB3734%20FULLPCS2%20SCOTT%20FETGATTER-GRS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3734<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would require new marijuana businesses to purchase temporary conditional licenses before being issued an annual business license. To obtain a temporary license, business owners would need to disclose all relevant financial information, all sources for utility usage and evidence of insurance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3891%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3891<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would add new grow and processing facilities to the list of businesses that must be at least 1,000 feet from a school property line, including pre-kindergarten and vocational technology schools, as well as property used for school athletics like stadiums and ballparks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><b>Regulating marijuana businesses:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB4287%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB4287<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Requires processors and growers to sell marijuana only in pre-packaged form, in package sizes ranging from an eighth of an ounce to an ounce. Displaying marijuana and smelling would still be allowed, but \u201cdeli-style\u201d sales would no longer be allowed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB3752%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB3752<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would make it illegal for a grow property owner to abandon the property without first restoring the land to its original condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20COMMITTEE%20SUBS\/HCS\/HB2025%20CS.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB2025<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would require all marijuana businesses and facilities to display their OMMA-issued license in a conspicuous place.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20INT\/hB\/HB3827%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HB3827<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Would require all medical marijuana commercial grower licensees with an outdoor production facility to register with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry as an environmentally sensitive crop owner. Registration would provide notice to nearby pesticide applicators, with the goal of minimizing pesticide drift.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other bills to watch during this session: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20INT\/hB\/HB2987%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB2987<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20INT\/hB\/HB2989%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB2989<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which could present significant hurdles in setting up new facilities; <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20INT\/hB\/HB3754%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HB3754<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which would legalize recreational marijuana; and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2021-22%20INT\/SB\/SB1101%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SB1101<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which would exclude the growing, harvesting and processing of marijuana from the agricultural sales tax exemption.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Medical marijuana remained a key focus this week in the Oklahoma State Legislature, with a slew of related bills passing through the House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee.\u00a0Fifteen marijuana bills were heard in the committee meeting Thursday morning, with many focused on reigning in illegal activity, restructuring the licensing process and regulating marijuana businesses. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":34641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[1383,1386,751,833,720,834],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34640"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/216"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34640"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34646,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34640\/revisions\/34646"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}