Committee advances package of alcohol, public-safety and drug scheduling bills; several measures pass

The Committee on Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances on the record advanced a slate of bills affecting alcohol retailers, public-safety measures and controlled-substance scheduling.

Representative Strong presented Senate Bill 1304 to expand retail tasting allowances, saying the change would let retailers offer "up to 6 separate individual beers, but not more than 2 ounces" per sample, "up to a half ounce of liquor" and "1 ounce each of wine," giving small liquor stores more options to showcase products amid declining sales. After brief questions from Representative Rosecrans about store support, the committee moved for adoption and the chair declared the motion passed.

The committee also adopted a committee substitute and passed a bill addressing continuing education requirements for people in the medical-marijuana industry; the sponsor said the agency would approve third-party providers and their materials rather than limiting the program to a single vendor. "This is open to any third party vendor that applies that has [education] approved by the agency," the sponsor said.

Representative Turner explained a measure to allow the possession and use of naloxone (Narcan) and fentanyl test strips for harm-reduction and overdose response. "This is just allowing the possession and use of items such as Narcan and, also test strips," Turner said. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics told the committee it had no objection to a separate bill to realign scheduling for certain THC products and said the state's action would "mirror the federal law to a t" for the specified items.

The panel also considered and passed bills that would permit licensed hospice personnel to destroy narcotics after a patient's death, protect distributors replacing products for quality-control reasons, restore a $2,000 bond fee in a bond-related measure, and change licensing-fee levels affecting distilleries. During consideration of the distillery bill, the committee rescinded a previously adopted amendment after a clerical error and re-voted on the original engrossed bill; the sponsor apologized for the confusion.

Votes at a glance SB 1304 — Expand retail tasting amounts: adopted by committee (motion passed). SB 1501 — Allow agency-approved third-party continuing education for the medical-marijuana industry: adopted (motion passed). SB 1946 — Protections for local manufacturers / distillery fee changes (including rescission of a committee amendment and re-vote on the original bill): adopted after rescind and re-vote. SB 592 — Quality-control/distributor protections (replacement for expired/over-ordered product): adopted. SB 65 — Allow possession/use of naloxone and fentanyl test strips: adopted. SB 1257 — Move certain THC items between schedules and add dronabinol to schedule 3: adopted; Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said it supported the measure. SB 444 — Allow certified hospice personnel to destroy narcotics after patient death: adopted. SB 640 — Add abandoned marijuana grow facilities to the public-nuisance definition to facilitate cleanup: adopted. SB 2178 — Amendment adopted (removed employee liability; directed events insurance requirements): adopted. SB 1242 — Bond-bill language restored (including $2,000 fee) and notification requirement for terminated licenses: adopted. SB 1642 — Allow splitting short-term acute pain prescriptions into shorter fills to reduce addiction risk: adopted.

What it means and next steps Most measures were advanced by recorded voice vote and were declared adopted by the committee chair; the transcript does not record final floor actions. Where the transcript records a numerical tally that was clearly spoken in committee, the committee record reflects that tally; in other cases the committee declared motions passed by majority voice vote. The bills, as approved by the committee, will proceed according to legislative process for further consideration.

Quotes from the meeting "Up to 6 separate individual beers, but not more than 2 ounces... and up to a half ounce of liquor and... 1 ounce each of wine," Representative Strong said while explaining SB 1304. "This is just allowing the possession and use of items such as Narcan and, also test strips," Representative Turner said about SB 65. "We'd have no objection with it," a representative of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said when asked about the scheduling changes in SB 1257. "I did not want to adopt it. I mistakenly got it... for one of the other 23 senate bills I had," the sponsor said, apologizing after a clerical mix-up that required rescinding an amendment and re-voting on SB 1946.

The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.