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Utah Senate rejects medical cannabis bill after marathon floor debate
Summary
After nearly three hours of floor debate and multiple proposed fixes, the Utah Senate voted down the first substitute to Senate Bill 259, the medical cannabis measure. Supporters stressed patient access and opioid-reduction, while opponents cited regulatory, public-safety and federal-law concerns.
The Utah Senate rejected a sweeping medical cannabis bill late Tuesday after an extended floor debate over implementation, public-safety safeguards and administrative authority. The chamber voted narrowly to defeat the first substitute to Senate Bill 259, with the transcript recording a final tally of 14 in favor and 15 opposed.
Senator Gene Madsen, the bill’s floor sponsor, told colleagues the measure was aimed at providing relief for patients with chronic conditions and was written to give administrative agencies time to craft rules: “The substance of the bill is sound,” Madsen said on the floor, adding that the substitute pushed…
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