THIRTY-SEVENTH MEETING

STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-SEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-THIRD SESSION

COMMERCE FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES

Representative Zack Stephenson, Chair of the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 12:59 P.M. on March 25, 2024, in Room 10 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
STEPHENSON, Zack (Chair)
KOTYZA-WITTHUHN, Carlie (Vice Chair)
O’DRISCOLL, Tim (GOP Lead)
BIERMAN, Robert
CHA, Ethan
DOTSETH, Jeff
FREIBERG, Mike
KLEVORN, Ginny
KOEGEL, Erin
KRAFT, Larry
NEU BRINDLEY, Anne
NISKA, Harry
PERRYMAN, Bernie
PFARR, Brian
SCHULTZ, Isaac
TABKE, Brad

Members Absent:
LIEBLING, Tina

A quorum was present.

HF3766 (Hanson, J.); Patients enrolled in registry program authorized to cultivate up to 16 cannabis plants without a license, patients enrolled in registry program authorized to obtain cannabis flower from registered designated caregivers, and caregivers authorized to grow plants on behalf of patients.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF3766 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Representative Hanson presented HF3766.

Testifying:
• Kayla Fearing
• Erin Jensen
• Adam Wagner
• Mark Hughes

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF3766 be laid over for inclusion in an omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF3760 (Hanson, J.); Licensing sanctions prohibited for patients in registry program, schools and landlords prohibited from refusing to serve patients enrolled in registry program because cannabis is a controlled substance under federal law, and other protections for patients enrolled in registry program provided.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF3760 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Representative Hanson presented HF3760.

Testifying:
• Maren Schroeder

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF3760 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF4789 (Her); Definition of qualifying medical condition modified for purposes of medical cannabis registry program.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF4789 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Representative Her presented HF4789.

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF4789 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF4251 (Her); Office of Cannabis Management prohibited from approving cannabis flower, cannabis products, and hemp-derived consumer products.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF4251 be re-referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.

Representative Her presented HF4251.

Testifying:
• Emily Myatt, Government Relations, American Cancer Society
• Curtis Neff, Community Organizer, Association of Non-Smokers
• Jeff Taylor
• Robert Servin Hornell

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF4251 be re-referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF2177 (Cha); Tobacco; sale or offer for sale of flavored tobacco, nicotine, or lobelia products prohibited; and penalties authorized.

Chair Stephenson moves that HF2177 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Chair Stephenson moves the A24 amendment.

Chair Stephenson moves an oral amendment to the amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Chair Stephenson renewed the underlying A24 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT, AS AMENDED, WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Cha presented HF2177 as amended.

Testifying:
• Bukata Hayes, VP of Racial and Health Equity, and Chief Equity Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Damone Presley
• Anna Grace Tiede Hottinger
• Nick Phelps
• Kimii Porter, President, Minnesota Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice
• Cap O’Rourke
• Tim Gross, Executive Director, Fueling Minnesota
• Elliot Boyce, Retired Police Officer
• Guy Bentley, Director, Consumer Freedom
• Joe O’Connor, Merchandise and Sales, Holiday/Circle K
• Paul Lampland
• Tom Bryant, Executive Director, Wholesale Marketer Association

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF2177 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF4629 (West); Petition process to designate cannabinoids an nonintoxicating or approved for use in lower-potency hemp edibles established, hemp edibles provisions modified, provisions related to testing of hemp products modified, and cannabinol and cannabichromene designated as nonintoxicating cannabinoids.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF4629 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Representative West presented HF4628.

Testifying:
• Jeff Taylor
• Eva Droz

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF4629 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The motion prevailed.

HF4029 (Tabke); Selling, giving, furnishing, or procuring lower-potency hemp edibles for use by an impaired person prohibited.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF4029 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Chair Stephenson moved the A24 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Tabke presented HF4029 as amended.

Testifying:
• Bob Galligan, Director of Government /Industry Relations, MN Craft Brewers Guild

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF4029, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF4377 (Stephenson); Sale of empty packaging that would violate limits on packaging for cannabis flower and related products prohibited, and attorney general authorized to enforce prohibition on sales of empty packaging.

Chair Stephenson moved that HF4377 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Chair Stephenson presented HF4377.

Chair Stephenson renewed the motion that HF4377 be laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The motion prevailed.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:42 P.M.






Representative Zack Stephenson, Chair




Morgan Durfee, Committee Legislative Assistant