THE House Cannabis Committee will meet with CNMI Cannabis Commission again before it acts on House Bill 22-28, which would amend Public Law 20-66 or the Taulamwaar Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018 that legalizes marijuana use in the Commonwealth.
In a meeting on Thursday, the committee adopted a technical amendment offered by Rep. Vicente Camacho who said it was based on a recommendation made during a public hearing held Wednesday in Garapan.
The amended provision now reads: “Department of Public Lands and all government entities shall lease or use public lands for the purpose of establishing marijuana or hemp businesses or establishments. This section does not apply to existing public land leases with existing hotels or commercial builds, or on lands located in the Northern Islands.”
But the panel agreed to table the measure, again, “until we meet with its authors and the CNMI Cannabis Commission to resolve pending issues,” committee chairwoman Rep. Denita Yangetmai said.
One of these pending issues is the planting of cannabis in the Northern Islands.
The committee’s concern, Yangetmai said, is “how do we transport cannabis from the Northern Islands without violating federal law?”
Acting Cannabis Commission Managing Director Eric Basa, who also attended the public hearing, reiterated the commission’s full support for H.B. 22-78.
The committee will soon announce the schedule of its meeting with the cannabis commission and the bill’s authors.
Also present in the committee meeting were House Floor Leader Ralph N. Yumul, Reps. Corina Magofna and Richard Lizama.
H.B. 22-78, which would also create a Cannabis Commission Revolving Account, is co-sponsored by Reps. Roy Ada, Angel A. Demapan, John Paul P. Sablan, Patrick H. San Nicolas, and Yumul.
