The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission on Wednesday continued trying to create different rules for different types of dispensaries.
The voter-approved Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment allows dispensaries -- which would sell marijuana -- to also grow up to 50 mature plants.
David Couch, the Little Rock lawyer who sponsored the amendment, said the provision was intended to allow dispensaries to grow particular varieties of the plant that might not be grown by cultivators and to act as a check on the pricing power of the cultivation facilities, which would grow most of the marijuana.
Commission members have argued that dispensaries that grow plants are a different breed of facility from those that don't, and should have higher licensing fees and requirements.
But the amendment doesn't contemplate different categories of dispensaries. The commission has adopted -- but then sometimes revisited -- different requirements for each type of facility.
On Wednesday, discussions centered on what the commission should do if lawmakers approve Senate Bill 254, which would prevent dispensaries from growing marijuana.
Commission Chairman Ronda Henry-Tillman said the legal situation could change but that the panel needed to make a decision based on current law. The commission ultimately decided to stick with the existing plan to have both a merit and lottery selection process for dispensaries.
"Once we get through public comment, we're going to have the ability to change that," Commissioner Stephen Carroll said.
Commission member Travis Story made motions to require a dispensary that grows marijuana to have a $100,000 performance bond, a $200,000 surety bond and $100,000 in liquid assets, like cash. The commission adopted his proposals without dissent.
Earlier in the meeting, commission members also voted to adopt a merit-based system for cultivation facilities. Previously, the selection process included a lottery.
The next meeting is at 4 p.m. Tuesday at 1515 W. Seventh St. in Little Rock.
At the House Rules Committee meeting Wednesday, Rep. Doug House, R-North Little Rock, presented seven bills that would alter the voter-enacted Medical Marijuana Amendment.
The proposed changes include allowing the state to regulate advertising, marketing and packaging of medical marijuana; preventing felons from running dispensary or cultivation centers; and allowing licensed growers and sellers to contract out the transportation of the drug.
House is the designated point man in the lower chamber for legislation dealing with the marijuana law, and his proposals were supported by Melissa Fults, who backed a competing medical-marijuana measure that the Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified during early voting last fall.
The committee chairman, Rep. Andy Davis, R-Little Rock, said the special order of business was to have House present the bills. The committee will vote later, he said.
A Section on 02/02/2017