In its first major revision proposed to Montana’s marijuana laws since the state legalized recreational use in 2021, a House panel heard a series of bills that would adjust and change laws governing pot.
Among those bills and changes is House Bill 128, proposed by Rep. Josh Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, which makes a number of changes to the 68-page law that passed in 2021. Among those changes was moving the marijuana testing laboratories from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to the Montana Department of Revenue, fixing a loophole that closed out nearly two dozen medical marijuana providers from selling recreationally, and addressing concerns about accurate dosing and labeling.
Most of the marijuana industry, including some of the laboratories, turned out to support the bill, which was, in part, the work of the interim committee that has been meeting as the state’s marijuana program rolled out fully in 2022.
“The perfect shouldn’t stand in the way of the good,” said E.J. Redding of Bloom.
Testy about testing
Part of the long hearing on marijuana focused on the role of the laboratories that test marijuana samples. Currently, there are four in the state. While the Marijuana Control Division does most of the licensing and oversight of the state’s marijuana programs, the laboratories remain under the supervision of the Montana DPHHS. Part of HB128 would move those labs over to the Department of Revenue.
However, some questioned…
