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Committee trims cannabis research appropriation and considers directing funds to the Cannabis Research Center
Summary
The Senate offer proposes reducing cannabis research funding to $4 million per biennium and conferees discussed language to direct remaining funds to the Cannabis Research Center rather than extension activities at the University of Minnesota.
Conferees questioned the distribution of cannabis research funds and whether remaining appropriations would be limited to the newly created Cannabis Research Center.
Tracy Toomey, director of the Cannabis Research Center, told the committee the original appropriation was $2.5 million per year to establish the center and said some remaining funds currently go to University of Minnesota Extension for work the center does not directly oversee. "The original appropriation was $2,500,000 per year to establish the cannabis research center," Toomey said. "The remaining amount goes to extension at the University of Minnesota to do research that our center is not connected to and I'm not aware of what they're using those funds for."
Conferees noted the Senate offer reduces cannabis research funding by $2.5 million below base per biennium, which staff said would leave $4,000,000 per biennium. Members asked whether final language would explicitly prevent extension from receiving funds and instead direct the appropriation to the research center; staff said that had not yet been drafted but was the Senate’s intent.
No formal statutory language was adopted during the session; conferees asked staff to draft clearer language about eligibility and to return with the proposed text.
