“Since the legislature has failed to act at this point, I want to give the citizens an opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected representatives.”

By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner

State lawmakers scheduled three eastern Nebraska public forums this weekend to allow the public to weigh in on medical cannabis and proposed state legislation.

State Sens. John Cavanaugh (D) of Omaha, Rick Holdcroft (R) of Bellevue and Ben Hansen (R) of Blair plan to host the series this Saturday in La Vista, Sunday in Omaha and Monday in Lincoln. Attendants will be able to hear updates on the status of medical cannabis legislation, namely Hansen’s Legislative Bill 677, and “share their thoughts.”

The schedule is as follows:

• Saturday, May 3, from 1–3 p.m. at the Carpenters Union Hall in La Vista (10761 Virginia Plaza, La Vista).
• Sunday, May 4, from 1–3 p.m., at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Thompson Alumni Center (8800 Dodge St., Omaha).
• Monday, May 5, from 5–7 p.m., at Southeast Community College (8800 O St., Lincoln).

The hosts plan to accommodate everyone who wishes to speak during the two-hour events.

In November, about 71 percent of Nebraskans legalized medical cannabis with a physician’s recommendation, and 67 percent of Nebraskans voted for a regulatory scheme.

“Since the legislature has failed to act at this point, I want to give the citizens an opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected representatives,” Cavanaugh told the Nebraska Examiner.

Hansen said the town halls are meant to help inform the public about the legislative process and receive feedback, answering questions and hearing concerns.

General Affairs Committee

Hansen’s LB 677 seeks to help the ballot measures build better guardrails, with help from supporters who put the measures on the ballot.

His bill would delay full implementation of the regulatory law to give the new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission time to craft regulations that, without funding, officials have said is near impossible to get done by the voter-set July 1 deadline or begin licensing by October 1.

LB 677 has stalled in the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee that Holdcroft chairs. Cavanaugh is the vice chair.

Holdcroft, who has said he would support a narrowed LB 677, said he is looking for “back and forth” at the public forums, such as whether to allow smoking or how many dispensaries should be permitted.

At an April 17 meeting of committee members, the committee considered a narrower committee amendment that sought to create a list of qualifying conditions, restrict who can recommend medical cannabis, exclude smoking as permissible for medical cannabis and prohibit sales of natural cannabis flower or bud.

None of the eight committee members tried to attach the amendment to LB 677. Advancing the bill as-is failed along ideological lines, 3–5.

‘A little bit of limbo’

Five days later, Hansen filed an amendment to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition and allow sales of flower and bud, the latter of which is a line in the sand for Hansen. Hansen also filed what is known as a “pull motion” that would advance LB 677, with at least 25 votes in the full 49-member legislative body and start the three-round debate.

The latest Hansen amendment would not allow smoking THC products to be sold.

Hansen said he is “stuck in a little bit of a limbo” trying to figure out the route to go, preferring to go through committee instead of the “little more aggressive maneuver” of a pull motion. He said he feels it would be a “disservice” to Nebraskans if the bill isn’t at least discussed.

“I’m hoping that Sen. Holdcroft, myself and the General Affairs Committee can kind of have a kumbaya moment a little bit here and move something forward that we can both agree on, which I’m assuming we both won’t like,” Hansen said.

Speaker John Arch (R) of La Vista, who sets the daily legislative agenda, declined to say if he would schedule Hansen’s pull motion as those discussions continue.

‘Uphold the voice of the people’

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, said her team is “very appreciative” of lawmakers’ efforts to give voters a chance to voice their feelings on the issue.

“While we find it disheartening that Nebraskans are being asked to ‘clarify their vote,’ we hope this final effort makes it clear: Nebraskans support medical cannabis. They knew what they were voting for,” Eggers said. “They now are demanding lawmakers to uphold the voice of the people.”

LB 677 faces a tight timeline and fiscal situation in the waning days of the 2025 legislative session. Debate on the state’s budget bills—with a major hole to still fill—is set to begin May 6. The final budget must pass by May 15.

Lawmakers are set to adjourn for the year on June 9.

Any legislation would require at least 33 votes to become law because lawmakers are seeking to amend laws that voters approved via ballot initiative.

Also co-hosting the public forums are State Sens. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, John Fredrickson of Omaha, Jane Raybould of Lincoln, Victor Rountree of Bellevue, Margo Juarez of Omaha, Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, Megan Hunt of Omaha, Myron Dorn of Adams, Merv Riepe of Ralston, Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, Tom Brandt of Plymouth, George Dungan of Lincoln and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln.

This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner.

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Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan.