Peach Tree Times

State Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, has proposed a bill that would triple the number of companies selling medicinal marijuana and no longer allow the State Medical Cannabis Commission to operate in secret. 

Powell told Fox5 News that he hopes that boosting the number of operators will be a key driver toward fixing issues and getting products into the hands of patients. He also told the outlet that the proposal would increase transparency. 

“There is a judicial fix and a legislative fix, this is a legislative fix,” Powel told Fox5 News. 

The awarding of medical marijuana licenses in the state has turned out to be riddled with problems, according to a Fox5 News investigation, including one bidder whose husband was recently convicted of corruption charges in Florida and another who was a business associate with a person who allegedly bribed a public official to secure a medical marijuana license.

Powell’s legislation, according to the Fox5 News report, would make a large majority of the State Medical Cannabis Commission’s records and activities subject to open records laws in the state. The report noted that many pages of winning bids were redacted, keeping a large amount of information away from the media or the public. 

Powell’s proposal would establish a scoring system performed by impartial third-party consultants in the event the commission has to issue a license to a new company for medical marijuana growth and sales. The report noted that the scoring of bids was conducted by commissioners who are political appointees and were kept secret.