Alabama Judge Halts Medical Marijuana Licensing Again, Citing Alleged Open Meetings Violations

A judge in Alabama has halted the state's medical cannabis program following a lawsuit alleging that the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) violated the state's Open Meetings Act. The lawsuit claims that the commission privately nominated companies for public votes on license awards during an executive session, violating the open meetings law. The stay on the program means that applicants denied a license cannot request an investigative hearing, and site visits and evaluations will be put on hold. The AMCC director stated that it will be "impossible" to issue licenses at an upcoming meeting, and another meeting may need to be scheduled.