State health officials have transferred just over $2 million to the veterans' commission, from funds generated through the licensing of medical marijuana companies.
A total of $2.1 million was transferred Sept. 11 by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the Missouri Veterans' Commission (MVC) confirmed to the St. Louis Record.
It is the first funds sent to the commission from an estimated $19 generated up to the end of last December as state licensed producers, wholesalers and retailers.
But the roll out has provoked some controversy and a lot of lawsuits, with regulators spending $1.29 million in legal fees to private law firms defending against businesses whose applications were turned down.
The health department has also spent $3.1 million in administration costs related to the program.
Close to 900 appeals against decisions were fueled with the Administrative Hearing Commission, and 785 are still pending as of two weeks ago, the DHSS told the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
It also emerged earlier this month that no money had been sent to the veterans' commission, which plans to use the money for the heallth and care of former service members.
However, a total of $2,135,510 was finally transferred Sept. 11, a spokesperson for the commission said.
"This was the first transfer of funds of this kind from DHSS," spokesperson Jamie Melchert told the St. Louis Record.
He added: "The next MVC Commission meeting will be held on at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 26, 2020.
"Although the location has not been finalized yet, the public is invited to attend all commission meetings. The nine-member commission would have to review and approve any expenditures at that time."
Democratic lawmakers are leading an investigation into the roll out of the program, including the hiring of an outside agency to grade applications and the way that they were scored.