Gov. Nathan Deal won’t soon be backing a measure to allow Georgia manufacturers to grow medical marijuana. But he sent an undeniable signal Tuesday that he’s OK with a more limited version of the proposal to expand the list of medical conditions eligible for the drug.

State Sen. Butch Miller, the governor’s floor leader, said late Tuesday that Deal is “neutral, at worst, on the bill” which is now pending in the Senate.

“The governor’s office has expressed, from day one, a strong reluctance to growing and manufacturing marijuana in Georgia, but he’s always been sensitive to the needs of the families,” said Miller. “If it makes it to the finish line, I’m confident he’ll sign it into law.”

That remains a big “if.” The Senate has refused to hold hearings on the measure and state Rep. Allen Peake, the Macon Republican who championed the bill, tried to revive it by tacking it onto an unrelated bill. It still faces an uncertain future. [Read more at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution]