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Medical marijuana oversight committee makeup uncertain

Brent Duerre

Senate Bill 134 was amended in a conference committee in a six to zero vote.

Once the amendment was brought to the House floor, however, House Representatives voted down the amended bill and passed a vote for a second conference committee.

Proponents of the bill in amended form say it is the best compromise for all parties involved.

Opponents say that public testimony should have been apart of the amending decision.

SB 134 M as amended would bring the Medical Marijuana Oversight committee down from an 18 person committee to 11.

The amendment also removes all qualified Medical Marijuana patients from being on the committee.

The bill now heads to its second conference committee which is made of three appointed Senators and three appointed Representatives to work out their differences in the bill.

Correction: An earlier version of this story erroneously indicated the legislature passed the bill. The amended version still needs approval in both chambers.

Evan Walton is an SDPB reporter based in Sioux Falls. Evan holds a Master’s in English Literature from Southern New Hampshire University and was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 2015, where he served for five years as an infantryman.