A bill filed in the Oklahoma legislature by Shawnee Sen. Shane Jett would in effect have utilities spy on commercial medical marijuana growers and report high electrical usage to state regulators who in turn could notify law agencies.
Senate Bill 1775 would require an electric utility to monitor and report suspicious usage data from a customer engaging in a commercial medical marijuana operation to the Corporation Commission.
The bill would also require state regulators to review the usage data and possibly refer the findings to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, or local law enforcement for investigation.
It would also require the commission to create new rules and regulations covering such a monitoring effort.
Kalin Bellmard with the Oklahoma Cannabis Association responded to an inquiry from OK Energy Today.
” I dont believe that bill will gain much traction but will keep an eye on it for sure.”
OK Energy Today reached out to Sen. Jett’s legislative office with questions about what prompted the filing of the bill. He did not respond.