STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-SECOND SESSION
HEALTH FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Tina Liebling, Chair of the Division, called the virtual Health Finance and Policy Committee meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. on February 16, 2021 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting is being broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
LIEBLING, Tina, Chair
HUOT, John, Vice Chair
SCHOMACKER, Joe, Minority Lead
AKLAND, Susan
BACKER, Jeff
BAHNER, Kristin
BIERMAN, Robert
BOLDON, Liz
DEMUTH, Lisa
FREIBERG, Mike
GRUENHAGEN, Glenn
KIEL, Debra
MORRISION, Kelly
MUNSON, Jeremy
PRYOR, Laurie
QUAM, Duane
REYER, Liz
SCHULTZ, Jennifer
WOLGAMOTT, Dan
A quorum was present.
Representative Huot moved that the minutes of February 10, 2021 be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF907 (Gomez) Medical cannabis program requirements modified, civil remedies authorized, and affirmative defense established.
Chair Liebling moved that HF907 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy.
Representative Gomez presented her bill.
Testifying:
1. Brandan Borgos, Advisory Board Chair, Past President, Co-founder, Sensible Minnesota
2. Sam Poquette, Medical Cannabis Patient
Chris Tholkes, Director, Office of Medical Cannabis, Minnesota Department of Health, responded to member questions.
Chair Liebling renewed her motion that HF907 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy.
Chair Liebling stated there would be a roll call vote. The results were as follows:
AYE
LIEBLING, Tina
HUOT, John
AKLAND, Susan
BAHNER, Kristin
BIERMAN, Robert
BOLDON, Liz
FREIBERG, Mike
MUNSON, Jeremy
PRYOR, Laurie
REYER, Liz
SCHULTZ, Jennifer
WOLGAMOTT, Dan
NAY
SCHOMACKER, Joe
BACKER, Jeff
DEMUTH, Lisa
GRUENHAGEN, Glenn
KIEL, Debra
QUAM, Duane
EXCUSED
MORRISON, Kelly
On a vote of 12 AYES and 6 NAYS THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF1023 (Gomez) Cannabis; health commissioner required to apply for federal Schedule I exemption for medical use of cannabis, and marijuana and nonsynthetic THC reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule II controlled substance.
Chair Liebling moved that HF1023 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy. She then moved the H1023A2 Amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Gomez presented her bill. Representative Munson discussed his bill HF675 as it was nearly identical to HF1023.
Testifying on both HF675 and HF1023:
1. Kurtis Hanna, Citizen Lobbyist and Co-Founder of Minnesota NORML
2. Thomas Gallagher, Board Member, Minnesota NORML
3. Patrick McClellan, Medical Cannabis Patient
4. Carl Olsen, Co-Founder, Iowans for Medical Marijuana
Chair Liebling renewed her motion that HF1023 be recommended to pass, as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy.
Chair Liebling stated there would be a roll call vote. The results were as follows:
AYE
LIEBLING, Tina
HUOT, John
BAHNER, Kristin
BIERMAN, Robert
BOLDON, Liz
FREIBERG, Mike
MORRISON, Kelly
MUNSON, Jeremy
PRYOR, Laurie
REYER, Liz
SCHULTZ, Jennifer
WOLGAMOTT, Dan
NAY
SCHOMACKER, Joe
AKLAND, Susan
BACKER, Jeff
DEMUTH, Lisa
GRUENHAGEN, Glenn
KIEL, Debra
QUAM, Duane
On a vote of 12 AYES and 7 NAYS THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF675 (Munson) Cannabis; health commissioner required to apply for federal Schedule I exemption for medical use of cannabis, and marijuana and nonsynthetic THC reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule II controlled substance.
Representative Munson moved that HF675 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Health Finance and Policy Committee bill. He then moved the H0675A1-1 Amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Chair Liebling laid over HF675, as amended, for possible inclusion in the Committee bill.
HF813 (Edelson) Medical cannabis program modified, and dried raw cannabis combustion by patients aged 21 or older allowed.
Chair Liebling moved that HF813 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Health Finance and Policy Committee bill.
Representative Edelson presented her bill.
Testifying:
1. Patrick McClellan, Medical Cannabis Patient
2. Dr. Kyle Kingsley, CEO, Vireo Health
3. Kim Kelsey, Mother of a Medical Cannabis Patient
Cody Wiberg, Executive Director, Minnesota Board of Pharmacy, and Chris Tholkes, Director, Office of Medical Cannabis, Minnesota Department of Health, responded to member questions.
Chair Liebling laid over HF813 for possible inclusion in the Committee bill.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 P.M.
________________________________________________________
Representative Tina Liebling, Chair
________________________________________________________
Krysta Niedernhöfer, Committee Legislative Assistant