Judge does not make ruling on Nebraska medical marijuana lawsuit Friday
A judge said the effort to stop both Nebraska medical marijuana petitions from making it onto the November general election ballot will have to wait until another week to be heard.The judge told both sides to submit briefs in response to the motion to dismiss. This comes after a former state senator and co-founder of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, John Kuehn, asked a judge to stop the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office from certifying petitions.On Aug. 30, Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced unofficially the petitions to legalize and regulate medical marijuana had exceeded the necessary requirements for verification and would qualify for the November election once certification is complete.In the lawsuit filed on Thursday Kuehn said Evnen did not produce all of the signature pages of the petitions ahead of Friday’s deadline to certify the Nebraska November ballot.MORE COVERAGE: Former state senator files lawsuit to stop secretary of state from certifying medical marijuana petitionsHe alleged seven violations in the lawsuit including alleging Evnen did not grant enough time to request signatures and challenge the secretary’s certification, which he said violates his rights to review signatures and petitions.Related coverage: What are Nebraskans voting for? Breaking down the ballot initiatives, referendumCrista Eggers, of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, issued a statement shortly after the court hearing, saying, “It is unfortunate that an extremely small minority of individuals have taken it upon themselves to attempt to silence the voice of the people. We have long been fighting for Nebraska’s most vulnerable patients, including our children and elderly, who are continuing to suffer through painful medical conditions after other treatments have failed, and when medical cannabis – an evidence-based treatment for many ailments – is accessible to patients one state over in every direction.”Evnen also released a statement following Friday’s court proceedings.“It has been incorrectly reported that I have asked a court to remove the cannabis initiatives from the ballot. I have not. I have asked the court to examine all of the evidence concerning fraudulent signature claims and then decide whether the cannabis initiatives should remain on the ballot.”Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
A judge said the effort to stop both Nebraska medical marijuana petitions from making it onto the November general election ballot will have to wait until another week to be heard.
The judge told both sides to submit briefs in response to the motion to dismiss.
This comes after a former state senator and co-founder of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, John Kuehn, asked a judge to stop the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office from certifying petitions.
On Aug. 30, Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced unofficially the petitions to legalize and regulate medical marijuana had exceeded the necessary requirements for verification and would qualify for the November election once certification is complete.
In the lawsuit filed on Thursday Kuehn said Evnen did not produce all of the signature pages of the petitions ahead of Friday’s deadline to certify the Nebraska November ballot.
MORE COVERAGE: Former state senator files lawsuit to stop secretary of state from certifying medical marijuana petitions
He alleged seven violations in the lawsuit including alleging Evnen did not grant enough time to request signatures and challenge the secretary’s certification, which he said violates his rights to review signatures and petitions.
Related coverage: What are Nebraskans voting for? Breaking down the ballot initiatives, referendum
Crista Eggers, of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, issued a statement shortly after the court hearing, saying, “It is unfortunate that an extremely small minority of individuals have taken it upon themselves to attempt to silence the voice of the people. We have long been fighting for Nebraska’s most vulnerable patients, including our children and elderly, who are continuing to suffer through painful medical conditions after other treatments have failed, and when medical cannabis – an evidence-based treatment for many ailments – is accessible to patients one state over in every direction.”
Evnen also released a statement following Friday’s court proceedings.
“It has been incorrectly reported that I have asked a court to remove the cannabis initiatives from the ballot. I have not. I have asked the court to examine all of the evidence concerning fraudulent signature claims and then decide whether the cannabis initiatives should remain on the ballot.”