Agricultural News
Governor Kevin Stitt Revisits Key Issues Affecting Rural Oklahoma from Earlier State of the State
Wed, 09 Feb 2022 12:28:12 CST
The feedback Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt is getting in response to his fourth annual State of the State address has been great. During his speech, he spoke about a number of issues from education to infrastructure to the state budget. He also spoke about two issues that have been on rural Oklahoma's radar for some time.
Talking with Ron Hays, the senior reporter for the Oklahoma Farm Report, Stitt speaks more on Oklahoma's struggle to gain control of its growing Medical Marijuana industry and the McGirt Supreme Court decision. During his speech, he said, "When Oklahomans voted for Medical Marijuana, they were sold a bill of goods."
"I listen to Oklahomans, and I have heard rural Oklahoma talking about the medical marijuana issue," Stitt said.
He called the Medical Marijuana state question misleading during his speech, pointing out how little Oklahoma charges for a growing permit compared to other states. When State Question 788 was voted into law, the state had just 60 days to establish licensing, regulations and program administration.
Since then, the industry has quickly outgrown the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority's ability to ensure the regulation and safety of the industry.
"We have got to clean it up," Stitt said. "We are putting a stop to drug cartels and foreign bad actors are buying land in Oklahoma and not following our laws. I have got a coordinated effort across all of our different agencies, and I am asking the legislature to change some of the barriers to entry."
For example, Oklahoma charges just $2,500 for a medical marijuana growing license; California charges $181,000, according to Stitt. As a result, Oklahoma has seven times the growers that California does.
"There are tons of things we need to tighten up," Stitt said. "We are pushing that big time."
Stitt also hit on the McGirt issue during his speech, saying, "simply put, McGirt jeopardizes justice."
"We are fighting like crazy to restore Oklahoma's ability to prosecute crimes right now," Stitt said. "We have lost that in eastern Oklahoma."
In the summer of 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that much of the eastern half of Oklahoma is, and has always been, an Indian reservation, taking away the state's authority to prosecute crimes committed within tribal boundaries.
The Governor expressed appreciation to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association for publicly standing with the state's efforts with the federal courts to modify the McGirt ruling.
"The district attorneys are asking me for help, and I am trying to get them all the help we can," Stitt said.
Many folks have called for Oklahomans to unite on this issue.
"We are all Oklahomans - that is what people do not realize," Stitt said. "400,000 Oklahomans are native. I think most natives, like me, want Oklahoma to be able to prosecute crime. The only ones who disagree, are a few people at the top of the helm of the tribal governments - it is a money grab."
Stitt said Oklahoma's Congressional Delegation needs to be more engaged in this issue. As loose ends continue to be tied up in the Supreme Court on the decision, Stitt said he is positive that Oklahomans will continue to wake up to the reality of the situation.
Hit the LISTEN BAR below to hear Ron Hays and Governor Kevin Stitt talk about Medical Marijuana, McGirt and more, including the progress Oklahoma has made in the last three years, growing beef processing capacity and Cattlemen's Congress.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
