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House committee sends repeal of medical-marijuana oversight panel to first-day calendar
Summary
A House Health & Human Services committee voted to move legislation that would repeal South Dakota’s medical marijuana oversight committee to the 40 first day; proponents called the panel redundant while opponents—including patients and safety advocates—warned its independent oversight and stakeholder input remain important.
Pierre — The House Health and Human Services Committee on Friday moved House Bill 11‑60, a measure to repeal the medical marijuana oversight committee, to the 40 first‑day calendar after an 8‑5 vote.
Representative Tim Goodwin, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the oversight panel was created to shepherd the program through startup and that the Department of Health and other state agencies now possess rule‑making, enforcement and data‑collection powers that make the advisory committee redundant. “We got good oversight, and I feel it's time just to disband the committee,” he said.
Industry proponents echoed Goodwin, calling the committee advisory, duplicative and an avoidable expense. Mitch Richter of Genesis Farms said the program is fully operational and legislative channels remain available for oversight and statutory fixes.
Opponents—including Lisa Gennaro of Protecting South Dakota Kids and several patient and public‑health speakers—urged the committee to preserve the panel. Gennaro noted the committee was established by voters in 2020 with broad public support and argued it brings patient, clinical and law‑enforcement perspectives together to flag access, testing and safety issues the Department of Health might not identify on its own.
Rhonda Milstead, an online witness who said she had served as the patient representative to the oversight committee, told the committee the panel had recently increased outreach to patients, school officials, pharmacists and emergency clinicians and had begun reviewing post‑market research. “Every day you see more research coming out,” she said, adding that the committee had identified gaps—digital cards for tracking and lab testing breadth—still under development.
In debate, former oversight chair Representative Garcia said meetings grew contentious but also uncovered weaknesses in monitoring, such as the absence of a digital card to aid enforcement. Supporters of repeal countered that routine legislative and agency processes can address those issues without retaining a standing advisory body.
The committee moved the bill to the 40 first day, allowing the full House to consider the measure during crossover week. No floor action was taken in the committee on changes to program rules or funding; the Department of Health retains statutory authorities referenced in testimony. The committee also recorded a public record that included multiple proponent and opponent witnesses and online testimony.
The committee chair said the bill’s referral to the 40 first day preserves members’ ability to reconsider the measure on the House floor.
