‘Excuse to delay voting’: Gov. Jim Pillen appoints members to Medical Cannabis Commission
May 16, 2025
MATERIALS. HAPPENING TODAY, GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN APPOINTS TWO PEOPLE TO THE MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. I’M BILL SCHAMMERT. I’M QUANECIA FRASER. THIS COMES AS LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO DEBATE A REVISED REGULATIONS BILL ON TUESDAY. GOVERNOR PILLEN SAYS THE APPOINTEES ARE, QUOTE, TOO EXPERIENCED, WELL QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND URGES LAWMAKERS TO PROMPTLY CONFIRM THEM. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADISON PERALEZ SPOKE WITH OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MEANS. MADISON. BILL QUANECIA, GOVERNOR PALIN’S ANNOUNCEMENT LEFT SENATORS IN FAVOR OF THE BILL. SHOCKED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SHELBY 677. OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL AND GOVERNOR IGNORE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN SAYS HE’LL SUPPORT THE MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION FRIDAY. HE APPOINTED HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICES EMPLOYEE LAUREL MUTING AND ANESTHESIOLOGIST MONICA OLDENBURG. IT IS A INSINCERE ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE LEGISLATURE’S WORK IN MAKING MEDICAL CANNABIS. ACTUALLY ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE. THAT’S VICE CHAIR OF THE GENERAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, SENATOR JOHN KAVANAUGH. HE SAYS PALIN’S APPOINTEES DEFEAT THE PURPOSE TO NEUTRALLY REGULATE THE MEDICAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY BY CHOOSING TO APPOINT TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR CAREERS ADVOCATING AGAINST MEDICAL CANNABIS IS A DEMONSTRATION THAT HE IS NOT HONESTLY INTERESTED IN RESPECTING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, AND HE’S NOT HONESTLY INTERESTED IN CREATING A REGULATORY SYSTEM THAT MAKES SAFE, AVAILABLE MEDICAL CANNABIS. PILLEN SAYS THEY’LL, QUOTE, ENSURE THIS NEW INDUSTRY IS STRONGLY REGULATED TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW. BOTH MEETING IN OLDENBURG HAVE TESTIFIED AGAINST PREVIOUS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILLS IN A 2021 HEARING, DOCTOR OLDENBURG CALLED THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE. SENATOR BEN HANSEN INTRODUCED THE BILL TO REGULATE VOTER APPROVED MEDICAL MARIJUANA. HE TOLD KETV, QUOTE, I BELIVE THE TIMING OF THE GOVERNOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE PURELY STRATEGIC IN ORDER TO GIVE CERTAIN LEGISLATORS AN EXCUSE TO DELAY VOTING. KAVANAUGH SAYS LAWMAKERS NEED TO FIRST CREATE THE REGULATIONS BEFORE THE COMMISSION CAN START WORKING. HE SAYS PALIN’S ANNOUNCEMENT IS DENYING WHAT VOTERS WANT. THE GOVERNOR AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONTINUE TO STAND IN THE WAY OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, AND THOSE OF US IN THE LEGISLATURE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY ACROSS PARTY LINES TO CREATE A REGULATORY STRUCTURE THAT WILL DO THAT, WILL MAKE IT AVAILABLE, WILL MAKE IT SAFE. WE’LL MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE. SENATOR HANSEN SAYS, QUOTE, IF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE ENDS UP SETTING ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, IT’S NOT THE WILD WEST. I’M CONCERNED ABOUT. IT’S HAVING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ON THE BALLOT IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING. THE LEGISLATURE HAS NOT YET CONFIRMED. DOCTOR OLDENBURG AND MEETING THEIR SCHEDULING FOR A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE GENERAL AFFAIRS COMMITTE
Gov. Jim Pillen appoints individuals to the Medical Cannabis Commission ahead of legislative debate
Gov. Jim Pillen announced the appointment of two members to the Medical Cannabis Commission as lawmakers prepare to debate a revised medical cannabis regulations bill on Tuesday. Pillen described the appointees as “two experienced, well-qualified individuals” and urged legislators to “promptly confirm” them. The appointees — Heartland Family Services employee Lorelle Mueting and anesthesiologist Dr. Monica Oldenburg — have sparked controversy among lawmakers who back the bill, known as LB 677. State Sen. John Cavanaugh, vice chair of the General Affairs Committee, criticized the decision. “It is an insincere attempt to undermine the legislature’s work in making medical cannabis actually accessible and safe,” said Cavanaugh. He argued that selecting appointees who have opposed medical marijuana legislation undermines the neutrality needed to regulate the medical cannabis industry.“By choosing two people who have spent their careers advocating against medical cannabis, is not honestly interested in respecting the will of the people,” he said.Pillen asserted in the announcement that the appointees would “ensure this new industry is strongly regulated to the letter of the law.” Both Mueting and Oldenburg have testified against previous medical marijuana bills, with Oldenburg describing the legalization of marijuana as “potentially destructive” during a 2021 hearing. State Sen. Ben Hansen, who introduced the bill to regulate voter-approved medical marijuana, questioned Pillen’s timing.“I believe the timing of the governor’s announcement to be purely strategic in order to give certain legislators — an excuse to delay voting,” Hansen told KETV. Cavanaugh emphasized that lawmakers need to establish regulations before the commission can begin its work. “The governor and the attorney general continue to stand in the way of the will of the people. Those of us in the legislature have worked diligently across party lines to create a regulatory structure that will make it available, will make it safe, will make it accessible,” Cavanaugh said. Hansen adds, “If the governor’s office ends up setting all the rules and regulations, it’s not the wild west I’m concerned about — it’s having recreational marijuana on the ballot in two years because they didn’t do anything.”Mueting and Oldenburg are scheduled for a hearing in front of the General Affairs Committee on Thursday, May 22.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Gov. Jim Pillen announced the appointment of two members to the Medical Cannabis Commission as lawmakers prepare to debate a revised medical cannabis regulations bill on Tuesday. Pillen described the appointees as “two experienced, well-qualified individuals” and urged legislators to “promptly confirm” them.
The appointees — Heartland Family Services employee Lorelle Mueting and anesthesiologist Dr. Monica Oldenburg — have sparked controversy among lawmakers who back the bill, known as LB 677. State Sen. John Cavanaugh, vice chair of the General Affairs Committee, criticized the decision.
“It is an insincere attempt to undermine the legislature’s work in making medical cannabis actually accessible and safe,” said Cavanaugh.
He argued that selecting appointees who have opposed medical marijuana legislation undermines the neutrality needed to regulate the medical cannabis industry.
“By choosing two people who have spent their careers advocating against medical cannabis, [the governor] is not honestly interested in respecting the will of the people,” he said.
Pillen asserted in the announcement that the appointees would “ensure this new industry is strongly regulated to the letter of the law.”
Both Mueting and Oldenburg have testified against previous medical marijuana bills, with Oldenburg describing the legalization of marijuana as “potentially destructive” during a 2021 hearing.
State Sen. Ben Hansen, who introduced the bill to regulate voter-approved medical marijuana, questioned Pillen’s timing.
“I believe the timing of the governor’s announcement to be purely strategic in order to give certain legislators — an excuse to delay voting,” Hansen told KETV.
Cavanaugh emphasized that lawmakers need to establish regulations before the commission can begin its work.
“The governor and the attorney general continue to stand in the way of the will of the people. Those of us in the legislature have worked diligently across party lines to create a regulatory structure that will make it available, will make it safe, [and] will make it accessible,” Cavanaugh said.
Hansen adds, “If the governor’s office ends up setting all the rules and regulations, it’s not the wild west I’m concerned about — it’s having recreational marijuana on the ballot in two years because they didn’t do anything.”
Mueting and Oldenburg are scheduled for a hearing in front of the General Affairs Committee on Thursday, May 22.
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