Standing Up For Your Rights

Photo of attorney Stephen Cale

A state lawmaker wants county voters to decide whether to allow marijuana farms in their county, said Tulsa medical marijuana attorney Stephen Cale.

State Rep. Todd Russ (R-Cordell) recently introduced his HB2989. If passed into law, it would require applicants for a medical marijuana grower license to get voter approval in the county where the farm is located, Cale said.

HOW IT WOULD WORK

Here’s what would be required under HB2989 if it was passed into law:

  • First, an applicant for a grower license must apply to the county where the farm is. This requirement would apply to regardless of whether the farm is in a city, town, or unincorporated area.
  • Applications for county approval would have to be submitted by June 30th of each year.  However, a vote on approval or disapproval would be held only at the general election in even-numbered years.
  • If the farm covers more than one county, then each county must hold the election on the same date.  If one county approves, but the other one does not, then the farm can grow marijuana only in the approved county.
  • A simple majority of those voting on the application would be needed for approval.
  • If the voters approve of the application, then certified election results must be submitted in an application for a commercial medical marijuana license.
  • If voters disapprove, then the county would send a certified copy of the results to the OMMA. And, the applicants would be barred from reapplying in that county for five years.  OMMA would have to keep a registry of election results.

“This is yet another attempt to cap marijuana grower licenses,” Cale said. “It also doesn’t take into consideration the cost of holding an election. The whole thing is nonsense.”

If passed into law HB2989 would go into effect on November 1, 2022.

The deadline to introduce new bills is January 20, 2022, Tulsa OMMA license attorney Stephen Cale said. The State Legislature will convene at Noon on Feb. 7, 2022. The Oklahoma Constitution requires regular sessions of the Legislature to adjourn by 5:00 p.m. on the last Friday of May. In 2022, that will be May 27th.

Tulsa OMMA licensing attorney Stephen Cale is the founder of Cale Law Office, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has been serving people with legal needs for more than 22 years.

Cale works with a number of marijuana-related organizations. He is a Legal Committee member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). Additionally, he serves on the board of Green Country NORML, a Tulsa chapter of NORML. He also serves as a board member for, and is on the Standard Operating Procedures steering committee for, OK4U Approved, a medical marijuana patient union and trade organization.

The Cale Law Office has helped numerous people acquire their commercial medical marijuana dispensary, processor, and grower licenses. If you want a medical marijuana business license, marijuana compliance auditing, or need legal representation in the Oklahoma medical marijuana industry, call the Cale Law Office at 918-771-7314. Your initial consultation is free. Or, contact us through the web.

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