Secretary of state says the campaign’s two petitions “appear” to have enough valid signatures but that continued investigations could lead a court to throw election results out later.
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What’s happening:
Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen confirmed that Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana collected nearly 90,000 valid signatures, just in time to finalize the Nov. 5 ballot. This announcement comes exactly one year after the signature-gathering campaign started its third attempt in 2023.
However, Attorney General Mike Hilgers’ office has raised concerns about the signature collection process. At least one person involved in gathering signatures has already been charged with a felony. While Evnen has certified the petitions for now, he mentioned that things could change depending on the results of the investigation. A court could potentially rule to remove the initiatives from the ballot.
What the initiatives are about:
The two initiatives aim to regulate medical cannabis in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act would allow people to possess, manufacture, and distribute cannabis for medical purposes. It would also create a commission to oversee the implementation of the law, with the goal of approving cannabis establishments by mid-2025.
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act would permit patients to have up to five ounces of cannabis for medical use. It also ensures that caregivers and patients are protected from legal penalties, and that medical cannabis can only be recommended by healthcare practitioners, with additional requirements for minors.
Legal challenges and concerns:
The campaign isn’t without opposition. John Kuehn, a veterinarian and former state legislator, filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the signatures and questioning whether the measures violate the Nebraska Constitution’s single-subject rule. His lawsuit is asking the court to prevent Nebraskans from voting on these initiatives or to stop officials from certifying the election results.
Despite this, Crista Eggers, who manages the statewide campaign, expressed gratitude for all the support, saying, “Today marks a huge step forward for the patients of Nebraska.”
A third attempt:
This is the campaign’s third try at getting medical marijuana on the ballot after previous efforts in 2020 and 2022 fell short. This time, they’ve split the initiative into two separate petitions, hoping to avoid the same legal challenges that derailed their first attempt.
The drive to legalize medical marijuana is personal for Eggers, whose son suffers from epilepsy and severe seizures. She’s become a key advocate, pushing back against critics who argue that medical cannabis poses a danger to children, countering that the lack of access to it is what's truly harmful.
What else is on the ballot?
Aside from the medical cannabis measures, four other ballot initiatives will be up for a vote in November, including paid sick leave laws and amendments related to abortion.
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