Kansas GOP Senators Block Medical Marijuana and Medicaid Expansion Efforts

Kansas Republican senators blocked debates on legalizing medical marijuana and expanding Medicaid, despite popular support and neighboring states' success.

In Topeka, Kansas, efforts to legalize the medical use of marijuana and expand Medicaid programs have been once again blocked by Republican state senators. The GOP-controlled Legislature has scheduled adjournment for the year on Tuesday, leaving both measures on hold for at least another year.

Supporters of both proposals fell short of the 24 votes required to pull a bill on each subject out of committee. Despite popular support, these measures have been consistently thwarted for almost a decade. Kansas does not allow voters to put proposed laws on the ballot statewide, a path that has led to approval for each measure in other states.

Kansas, along with Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, remains among the few states that have neither legalized medical marijuana nor expanded Medicaid. This is in contrast to all but 12 states that have legalized medical marijuana, and all but 10 that have expanded Medicaid in line with the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act.

The medical marijuana vote was 12-25, with law enforcement officials opposing the idea due to concerns about its potential to lead to the legalization of recreational use. Additionally, Oklahoma's experience with the explosive growth of the marijuana industry under a lax law has raised concerns about the potential influx of criminals and illegal operations.

Revenue and Legal Issues

While Oklahoma received significant revenue from marijuana-related taxes, it also faced challenges stemming from its lenient laws. Kansas residents who seek cannabis from other states risk legal issues to address their medical problems, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to marijuana laws.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly previously linked medical marijuana to Medicaid expansion, suggesting the use of marijuana taxes to cover the state's share of the cost of expanding Medicaid health coverage to another 150,000 people. However, the Medicaid expansion vote Friday was 18-17 despite months of aggressive public campaigning by Kelly and other expansion advocates.

Political dynamics surrounding these issues have become increasingly significant. Gov. Kelly had previously hinted at taking a more political approach and pushing expansion advocates hard during the fall campaign. Despite these efforts, the Senate President, Ty Masterson, expressed skepticism about Medicaid expansion becoming a major campaign issue.

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