Senate committee approves advisory oversight for medical marijuana board

The Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee on Monday voted to recommend a revised medical-marijuana oversight bill that makes the committee's role explicitly advisory.

Senator Chesterfield, sponsor of Senate Bill 226, told the committee the bill was amended at the request of the attorney general's office to change "oversight" language to "advisory." "All we can do is review," Chesterfield said, adding the committee can report concerns to the legislature and propose statutory changes if it finds problems.

Brian Bowen, deputy chief of staff for the attorney general's office, was introduced to answer legal questions. Committee members asked whether the legislative review panel would have enforcement "teeth." Chesterfield and Bowen said the panel can make recommendations and file reports but does not supersede executive authority. "None of these committees ... has the ultimate authority to change what is executive," Chesterfield said, citing prior review committees that spurred later legislative changes but could not block executive action.

No members of the public had signed up to speak for or against the bill. After brief discussion, the committee moved to recommend SB 226 "do pass" as amended; the motion passed by voice vote.

The committee's recommendation sends the bill to further consideration by the full Senate; sponsors and committee members said the intent is transparency and legislative visibility into the medical-marijuana industry rather than regulatory control by the panel.