Governor Kristi Noem says she has concerns about a voter-approved medical marijuana program going into effect, after her bill delaying implementation failed in the Senate.
Noem initially wanted to push the program back to July first of 2022. By the end of session, the governor proposed a compromise that starts the program this year. But it removes a few provisions she’s concerned with.
“The lack of control around our kids having access to it,” Noem says “That homegrown provision has been extremely problematic from the beginning. I certainly understand the desire of the public wanting to have a medical marijuana program, I just want to do it responsibly.”
Noem is not considering a special session on the issue, yet. Some Senate Republican leaders agree the medical marijuana program needs more safeguards.
Patients will only be able to get medical marijuana with a prescription from a practitioner who is licensed to prescribe drugs by the state.
What happened yesterday?
It was decided that a medical marijuana program approved by voters in November would become law on July first.
Republican Representative Gregg Jamison, of Sioux Falls, says legislators from both chambers worked hard on a compromise delaying the implementation of Initiated Measure 26, but they reached an impasse.
“Let’s take this moment to reunify us together. We will bring back IM26 to the people as they voted for it,” Jamison says. “Job well done.”
It’s a blow to Governor Kristi Noem, who early this session, said the state needed until July first of 2022 to implement a medical marijuana program correctly. A few weeks later, her office said the state could get one implemented by January 1.
On Monday, the state Senate added provisions that decriminalized up to one ounce of marijuana possession for adults over 21. The House did not like those changes, but the Senate didn’t budge.
Since neither chamber could agree, the delay on IM 26 died in the House chamber.
It was the last major hurdle for lawmakers this session. All that’s effectively left to pass is the state budget.
