A legislative proposal to make Kentucky the 39th state to legalize medical marijuana was just passed by the House Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee.
The committee approved Senate Bill 47 today 18 to 2, sending it to a vote of the full House of Representatives on the last day of the legislative session. Given it’s already been passed by the Senate 26 to 11, it will be sent to Governor Andy Beshea if it’s passed today by the full House. Governor Beshea supports legalizing medical marijuana and is expected to sign the measure into law if given the chance. If the House fails to act on the measure today, it will need to be pushed off until next year.
Under Senate Bill 47 those with a physician recommendation would be authorized to purchase, possess and consume marijuana products such as tinctures, pills and ointments. Smoking marijuana would not be allowed, but dried marijuana flower could be purchased for use in vaping. The law requires the state to license at least 25 medical marijuana dispensaries, 15 cultivators, five processors and three producers.
The bill would also provide rental protections for patients, stating that “A landlord shall not refuse to lease to, or otherwise penalize, a person solely for his or her status as a cardholder, unless failing to do so would violate federal law or regulations and cause the landlord to lose a monetary or licensing-related benefit under federal law or regulations.”
In addition, the measure clarifies that “No landlord may be penalized or denied any benefit under state law for leasing to a cardholder”, and that “a landlord shall not include in a rental agreement terms and conditions that prohibit the use of medicinal cannabis by a cardholder.
For the full text of Kentucky’s Senate Bill 47, click here.
In the U.S. there are currently 38 states with legal medical marijuana. Kentucky is one of just 12 that have not legalized medical marijuana, although Senate Bill 47 would change that.
