Pillen appoints ex-judge to Nebraska Liquor Control Commission

Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday announced he is appointing a former judge to fill a vacancy on the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.

Pillen chose J. Michael Coffey, a former district court judge in the 4th Judicial District, which covers Omaha, to fill the commission seat representing the 2nd Congressional District. Coffey, who served nearly 25 years as a judge after practicing as an attorney in Omaha, must still be approved by the Legislature, something that won’t happen until next year.

Coffey would fill the seat of Harry Hoch Jr., who was not reappointed after his six-year term last month.

Hoch told the Nebraska Examiner that Pillen’s chief of staff told him he was not being reappointed because the “governor wanted to get more cannabis experience” on the board.

A ballot measure approving medical marijuana that voters passed in November designated the three-member Liquor Control Commission to double as the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission.

It’s not clear if Coffey has any specific cannabis experience. If approved, he will join the other two members of the Liquor Control Commission, Bruce Bailey of Lincoln and Kim Lowe of Kearney.

There are two additional members of the Medical Cannabis Commission, Dr. Monica Oldenburg and Lorelle Mueting, who were approved by the Legislature last month.

The commission had its first meeting earlier this month and is scheduled to meet again next week to meet a July 1 deadline to establish licensing criteria for medical marijuana. Coffey, who served nearly 25 years as a judge after practicing as an attorney in Omaha, must still be approved by the Legislature, something that won’t happen until next year.