A new state board was born Monday afternoon, but it won’t have any time to take baby steps.The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission has less than a month to draft rules and regulations for medical marijuana to meet the July 1 deadline mandated by voters in November 2024.Three of four commissioners attended the hour-long inaugural meeting: Dr. Monica Oldenburg, Bruce Bailey and Kim Lowe. Lorelle Mueting was absent. The commissioners elected Oldenburg chair of the board and covered ground rules for the new commission.”That July 1 date is coming up quickly,” Bailey said. “And so it will be the goal that between now and the first of July, that we can show the public. That is where we are at this time.”The path ahead still isn’t clear, though. The Medical Cannabis Commission only has $30,000 to work with, exclusively for staffing needs.Proposed legislation set to build guardrails and resources for the board failed in the 2025 legislative session. Deputy state budget administrator Jacob Leaver said commissioners could help steer a fiscal course by borrowing from the Liquor Control Commission.”We’ll get into looking at some funds,” Bailey said. “Realize that we have a small amount of money, we have a large goal, and we’ll do our best as we can.”Crista Eggers, who heads up Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, hailed the meeting as a step in the right direction, but she expressed reservations about the future.”This deadline, you know, is in statute,” Eggers said. “It is, is not a suggestion. It’s not ‘Maybe we’ll do this.’ This is what has to happen. I am just unsure how they are going to be given the resources and the ability to do it.”It’s unclear when the vacancy left after former Liquor Control Commissioner Harry Hoch Jr. resigned — following signals from Gov. Jim Pillen that he wouldn’t be reappointed — will be filled.The next public meeting of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is set for Thursday, June 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. That’s where commissioners say they hope to have drafts of the rules and allow the public to weigh in.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
A new state board was born Monday afternoon, but it won’t have any time to take baby steps.
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission has less than a month to draft rules and regulations for medical marijuana to meet the July 1 deadline mandated by voters in November 2024.
Three of four commissioners attended the hour-long inaugural meeting: Dr. Monica Oldenburg, Bruce Bailey and Kim Lowe. Lorelle Mueting was absent. The commissioners elected Oldenburg chair of the board and covered ground rules for the new commission.
“That July 1 date is coming up quickly,” Bailey said. “And so it will be the goal that between now and the first of July, that we can show the public. That is where we are at this time.”
The path ahead still isn’t clear, though. The Medical Cannabis Commission only has $30,000 to work with, exclusively for staffing needs.
Proposed legislation set to build guardrails and resources for the board failed in the 2025 legislative session. Deputy state budget administrator Jacob Leaver said commissioners could help steer a fiscal course by borrowing from the Liquor Control Commission.
“We’ll get into looking at some funds,” Bailey said. “Realize that we have a small amount of money, we have a large goal, and we’ll do our best as we can.”
Crista Eggers, who heads up Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, hailed the meeting as a step in the right direction, but she expressed reservations about the future.
“This deadline, you know, is in statute,” Eggers said. “It is, is not a suggestion. It’s not ‘Maybe we’ll do this.’ This is what has to happen. I am just unsure how they are going to be given the resources and the ability to do it.”
It’s unclear when the vacancy left after former Liquor Control Commissioner Harry Hoch Jr. resigned — following signals from Gov. Jim Pillen that he wouldn’t be reappointed — will be filled.
The next public meeting of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is set for Thursday, June 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. That’s where commissioners say they hope to have drafts of the rules and allow the public to weigh in.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
