New legislation in Oklahoma would give the state’s counties more control over medical cannabis cultivation licenses.
State Rep. Todd Russ has introduced House Bill 2989, which would require growers to apply for licenses through the county they operate in, rather than directly through the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA).
Voters in the state’s counties would then ultimately decide whether to accept the cultivation business, according to a KTUL report.
"It's a huge local control issue and that gives each county the right to choose whether they want that type of activity in their county or not," Russ told the news outlet, adding that the availability of resources like water, energy and local law enforcement could influence counties’ decision to host growers.
Russ’ legislation requires cultivation businesses to submit annual license applications on June 30, and voters would decide on hosting the operations every other year, KTUL reported. If an application is denied, the cultivator would be barred from reapplying in that county for the next five years.
In another attempt to restrict medical cannabis business licensing, Oklahoma Rep. Rusty Cornwell has introduced House Bill 3208 to allow the OMMA to pause licensing as the agency deems necessary.
Lawmakers will reconvene for the 2022 legislative session on Feb. 7.