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Committee hears greenhouse bill for ATCs; medical oversight board backs regulated greenhouse cultivation
Summary
SB 4 68 would let each licensed ATC operate one regulated greenhouse to lower energy costs; the Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board supported the bill and ATC witnesses said greenhouses could substantially reduce production electricity costs.
Senator Howard Pearl introduced SB 4 68 to allow each alternative treatment center (ATC) to operate one greenhouse under strict regulations for location, security, and reporting. Pearl said the change aims to reduce energy costs and make therapeutic cannabis more affordable for roughly 17,000 registered patients.
Dr. Jerry Kinnear, chair of the Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board (TCMOB), testified TCMOB voted in favor of SB 4 68 (7–0 with one abstention) and argued the bill’s stricter greenhouse rulemaking would not loosen existing security requirements. “TCMOB voted to support SB 4 68,” Kinnear said, adding that greenhouse production can be economically feasible and reduce costs by using natural sunlight instead of continuous artificial lighting.
Vendors and ATC managers described how secure greenhouses are operated and how energy savings could translate to lower prices. Bob Rimmel, a commercial greenhouse systems owner, said regulated greenhouses nationwide use perimeter fencing, cameras, and robust security systems. Keenan Blum said an ATC cultivation utility bill can be about $40,000 per month, with cultivation‑related electric costs near $25,000, and that greenhouse cultivation would reduce those costs.
Opponents questioned prior vetoes and asked that statutory language and local stakeholder input provisions be tightened, including specifying which stakeholders (law enforcement, public‑health experts) should be solicited during permitting. The committee concluded the hearing after questions; no vote is recorded in the transcript.
