Medical marijuana advocates have been a regular presence in Frankfurt over the last few years, and support for medical cannabis has gained traction among voters and legislators alike.

Governor Andy Beshear formed a task force to elevate it and even passed an executive order to preemptively pardon medical marijuana users.

Today, the Kentucky General Assembly took another step toward making this medicine available in the state.

Our Clayton Dalton has more.

Last year, legislators and the governor legalized medical marijuana in Kentucky starting January 1st, 2025.

Kentuckians with certain medical conditions will be able to use nonsmoking forms of medical marijuana.

Now the legislature is working out the details in this year's House bill.

829.

This is not a wink, wink, nod nod move that recreational.

This is to help people who need to be helped.

The bill allows growers and dispensaries to get a license and to plan ahead before medical cannabis becomes legal next year.

Dispensaries can get a license to get up and run and get prepared.

They may not open at all until obviously the program begins January 1st, 2025.

So we think this is this is a way to administer the program that the Senate and the House passed last year and to improve it in various ways.

Tighten it up, tidy it up.

The bill aims to maintain local control.

It allows local governments to prohibit dispensaries from operating storefronts in their town.

Similar to a wet drive out.

The locals can decide whatever they want to do on this.

So either by ordinance or election that they can call for an election in November and say, As a community, we don't want this in our community.

And they have the right to do that.

The Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis will oversee the roll out of the program.

They'll have the control to investigate and regulate businesses that grow and sell marijuana.

If you get a license, a liquor license, you are saying to ABC, you can come in at any time.

You don't need a subpoena.

So the ABC can come in and make sure that all the rules are being followed.

Similarly here, if you get a license, whether you're a grower or dispenser, a dispensary, the Office of Medical Cannabis can come in at any time unannounced and make sure that all the rules are being followed.

This was an awkward vote for some people, particularly outgoing majority floor leader Damon Thayer, a previously outspoken critic of medical marijuana turned reluctant supporter.

So here we are, the last bill in the last committee meeting in my last session.

And it's a pot bill medical.

I always use the adjective medical, whatever.

Thayer and others are still reluctant to categorically support medical marijuana, but they say if it's going to happen, it should be done Well.

I hope that future general Assemblies will resist the temptation to consider adding smoking on medical cannabis, and especially hope that the temptation to pass recreational marijuana is is avoided here in Kentucky.

You know, I did not support the original bill, but I think this is good government.

If we're going to have it, if the intent is there, the legislative intent is there, then we need to set up and have good government around it.

The bill passed with bipartisan support, with only one Republican voting no.

As a legislative session nears its end, the bill heads to the full Senate for discussion and a vote.

For kentucky edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

Thank you, clayton.

The biennial budget includes over $10 million for the kentucky office of Medical cannabis.