Source: https://www.safeaccessnow.org/the_edward_o_hawkins_and_thomas_c_slater_medical_marijuana_act
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 03:07:55+00:00

Document:
§ 21-28.6-1 Short title. – This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act."
(1) Modern medical research has discovered beneficial uses for marijuana in treating or alleviating pain, nausea and other symptoms associated with certain debilitating medical conditions, as found by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine in March 1999.
(2) According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ninety-nine (99) out of every one hundred (100) marijuana arrests in the United States are made under state law, rather than under federal law. Consequently, changing state law will have the practical effect of protecting from arrest the vast majority of seriously ill people who have a medical need to use marijuana.
(3) Although federal law currently prohibits any use of marijuana, the laws of Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington permit the medical use and cultivation of marijuana. Rhode Island joins in this effort for the health and welfare of its citizens.
(4) States are not required to enforce federal law or prosecute people for engaging in activities prohibited by federal law. Therefore, compliance with this chapter does not put the state of Rhode Island in violation of federal law.
(5) State law should make a distinction between the medical and nonmedical use of marijuana. Hence, the purpose of this chapter is to protect patients with debilitating medical conditions, and their physicians and primary caregivers, from arrest and prosecution, criminal and other penalties, and property forfeiture if such patients engage in the medical use of marijuana.
(6) The general assembly enacts this chapter pursuant to its police power to enact legislation for the protection of the health of its citizens, as reserved to the state in the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
(1) "Cardholder" means a qualifying patient, a primary caregiver, or a principal officer, board member, employee, volunteer, or agent of a compassion center who has been issued and possesses a valid registry identification card.
(2) "Compassion center" means a not-for-profit corporation subject to the provisions of chapter 7-6, and registered under § 21-28.6-12 that acquires, possesses, cultivates, manufactures, delivers, transfers, transports, supplies or dispenses marijuana, and/or related supplies and educational materials, to registered qualifying patients and/or their registered primary caregivers who have designated it as one of their primary caregivers.
(iii) Any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the department, as provided for in § 21-28.6-5.
(4) "Department" means the Rhode Island department of health or its successor agency.
(5) "Marijuana" has the meaning given that term in § 21-28-1.02(26).
(6) "Mature marijuana plant" means a marijuana plant which has flowers or buds that are readily observable by an unaided visual examination.
(7) "Medical use" means the acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacture, use, delivery, transfer, or transportation of marijuana or paraphernalia relating to the consumption of marijuana to alleviate a registered qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition or symptoms associated with the medical condition.
(8) "Practitioner" means a person who is licensed with authority to prescribe drugs pursuant to chapter 37 of title 5 or a physician licensed with authority to prescribe drugs in Massachusetts or Connecticut.
(9) "Primary caregiver" means either a natural person who is at least twenty-one (21) years old or a compassion center. A natural person primary caregiver may assist no more than five (5) qualifying patients with their medical use of marijuana.
(10) "Qualifying patient" means a person who has been diagnosed by a practitioner as having a debilitating medical condition and is a resident of Rhode Island.
(11) "Registry identification card" means a document issued by the department that identifies a person as a registered qualifying patient, a registered primary caregiver, or a registered principal officer, board member, employee, volunteer, or agent of a compassion center.
(12) "Seedling" means a marijuana plant with no observable flowers or buds.
(13) "Unusable marijuana" means marijuana seeds, stalks, seedlings, and unusable roots.
(14) "Usable marijuana" means the dried leaves and flowers of the marijuana plant, and any mixture or preparation thereof, but does not include the seeds, stalks, and roots of the plant.
(15) "Written certification" means the qualifying patient's medical records, and a statement signed by a practitioner, stating that in the practitioner's professional opinion the potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the health risks for the qualifying patient. A written certification shall be made only in the course of a bona fide practitioner-patient relationship after the practitioner has completed a full assessment of the qualifying patient's medical history. The written certification shall specify the qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition or conditions.
§ 21-28.6-5 Department to issue regulations. – (a) Not later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this chapter, the department shall promulgate regulations governing the manner in which it shall consider petitions from the public to add debilitating medical conditions to those included in this chapter. In considering such petitions, the department shall include public notice of, and an opportunity to comment in a public hearing, upon such petitions. The department shall, after hearing, approve or deny such petitions within one hundred eighty (180) days of submission. The approval or denial of such a petition shall be considered a final department action, subject to judicial review. Jurisdiction and venue for judicial review are vested in the superior court. The denial of a petition shall not disqualify qualifying patients with that condition, if they have a debilitating medical condition as defined in subdivision 21-28.6-3(3). The denial of a petition shall not prevent a person with the denied condition from raising an affirmative defense.
(b) Not later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this chapter, the department shall promulgate regulations governing the manner in which it shall consider applications for and renewals of registry identification cards for qualifying patients and primary caregivers. The department's regulations shall establish application and renewal fees that generate revenues sufficient to offset all expenses of implementing and administering this chapter. The department may vary the application and renewal fees along a sliding scale that accounts for a qualifying patient's or caregiver's income. The department may accept donations from private sources in order to reduce the application and renewal fees.
(5) Name, address, and date of birth of each primary caregiver of the qualifying patient, if any.
(iii) Control the acquisition of the marijuana, the dosage, and the frequency of the medical use of marijuana by the qualifying patient.
(c) The department shall verify the information contained in an application or renewal submitted pursuant to this section, and shall approve or deny an application or renewal within fifteen (15) days of receiving it. The department may deny an application or renewal only if the applicant did not provide the information required pursuant to this section, or if the department determines that the information provided was falsified. Rejection of an application or renewal is considered a final department action, subject to judicial review. Jurisdiction and venue for judicial review are vested in the superior court.
(d) The department shall issue a registry identification card to each primary caregiver, if any, who is named in a qualifying patient's approved application, up to a maximum of two (2) primary caregivers per qualifying patient. A person may not serve as a primary caregiver if he or she has a felony drug conviction, unless the department waives this restriction in respect to a specific individual at the department's discretion. Additionally, the department shall allow the person to serve as a primary caregiver if the department determines that the offense was for conduct that occurred prior to the enactment of the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act or that was prosecuted by an authority other than the state of Rhode Island and for which the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act would otherwise have prevented a conviction.
(4) Any additional information as required by regulation or the department.
(1) A qualifying patient who has been issued a registry identification card shall notify the department of any change in the qualifying patient's name, address, or primary caregiver; or if the qualifying patient ceases to have his or her debilitating medical condition, within ten (10) days of such change.
(2) A registered qualifying patient who fails to notify the department of any of these changes is responsible for a civil infraction, punishable by a fine of no more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150). If the person has ceased to suffer from a debilitating medical condition, the card shall be deemed null and void and the person shall be liable for any other penalties that may apply to the person's nonmedical use of marijuana.
(3) A registered primary caregiver, principal officer, board member, employee, volunteer, or agent of a compassion center shall notify the department of any change in his or her name or address within ten (10) days of such change. A primary caregiver, principal officer, board member, employee, volunteer, or agent of a compassion center who fails to notify the department of any of these changes is responsible for a civil infraction, punishable by a fine of no more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150).
(4) When a qualifying patient or primary caregiver notifies the department of any changes listed in this subsection, the department shall issue the registered qualifying patient and each primary caregiver a new registry identification card within ten (10) days of receiving the updated information and a ten dollar ($10.00) fee. When a principal officer, board member, employee, volunteer, or agent of a compassion center notifies the department of any changes listed in this subsection, the department shall issue the cardholder a new registry identification card within ten (10) days of receiving the updated information and a ten dollar ($10.00) fee.
(5) When a qualifying patient who possesses a registry identification card changes his or her primary caregiver, the department shall notify the primary caregiver within ten (10) days. The primary caregiver's protections as provided in this chapter as to that patient shall expire ten (10) days after notification by the department.
(6) If a cardholder loses his or her registry identification card, he or she shall notify the department and submit a ten dollar ($10.00) fee within ten (10) days of losing the card. Within five (5) days, the department shall issue a new registry identification card with new random identification number.
(7) If a cardholder willfully violates any provision of this chapter as determined by the department, his or her registry identification card may be revoked.
(g) Possession of, or application for, a registry identification card shall not constitute probable cause or reasonable suspicion, nor shall it be used to support the search of the person or property of the person possessing or applying for the registry identification card, or otherwise subject the person or property of the person to inspection by any governmental agency.
(h) Applications and supporting information submitted by qualifying patients, including information regarding their primary caregivers and practitioners, are confidential and protected under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and shall be exempt from the provisions of the RIGL chapter 38-2 et seq. the Rhode Island access to public records act and not subject to disclosure, except to authorized employees of the department as necessary to perform official duties of the department.
(2) The application for qualifying patient's registry identification card shall include a question asking whether the patient would like the department to notify him or her of any clinical studies about marijuana's risk or efficacy. The department shall inform those patients who answer in the affirmative of any such studies it is notified of, that will be conducted in Rhode Island. The department may also notify those patients of medical studies conducted outside of Rhode Island.
(3) The department shall maintain a confidential list of the persons to whom the department has issued registry identification cards. Individual names and other identifying information on the list shall be confidential, exempt from the provisions of Rhode Island Access to Public Information, chapter 2 of title 38, and not subject to disclosure, except to authorized employees of the department as necessary to perform official duties of the department.
(i) The department shall verify to law enforcement personnel whether a registry identification card is valid solely by confirming the random registry identification number.
(j) It shall be a crime, punishable by up to one hundred eighty (180) days in jail and a one thousand dollar ($1,000) fine, for any person, including an employee or official of the department or another state agency or local government, to breach the confidentiality of information obtained pursuant to this chapter. Notwithstanding this provision, the department employees may notify law enforcement about falsified or fraudulent information submitted to the department.
(5) Whether the United States Food and Drug Administration has altered its position regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes or has approved alternative delivery systems for marijuana.
(vi) Where exposure to the marijuana smoke significantly adversely affects the health, safety, or welfare of children.
(3) Any person to operate, navigate, or be in actual physical control of any motor vehicle, aircraft, or motorboat while under the influence of marijuana. However, a registered qualifying patient shall not be considered to be under the influence solely for having marijuana metabolites in his or her system.
(2) An employer to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace.
(c) Fraudulent representation to a law enforcement official of any fact or circumstance relating to the medical use of marijuana to avoid arrest or prosecution shall be punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) which shall be in addition to any other penalties that may apply for making a false statement for the nonmedical use of marijuana.
(2) The person and the person's primary caregiver, if any, were collectively in possession of a quantity of marijuana that was not more than what is permitted under this chapter to ensure the uninterrupted availability of marijuana for the purpose of alleviating the person's medical condition or symptoms associated with the medical condition.
(b) A person may assert the medical purpose for using marijuana in a motion to dismiss, and the charges shall be dismissed following an evidentiary hearing where the defendant shows the elements listed in subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Any interest in or right to property that was possessed, owned, or used in connection with a person's use of marijuana for medical purposes shall not be forfeited if the person or the person's primary caregiver demonstrates the person's medical purpose for using marijuana pursuant to this section.
§ 21-28.6-9 Enforcement. – (a) If the department fails to adopt regulations to implement this chapter within one hundred twenty (120) days of the effective date of this act, a qualifying patient may commence an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel the department to perform the actions mandated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(b) If the department fails to issue a valid registry identification card in response to a valid application submitted pursuant to this chapter within thirty-five (35) days of its submission, the registry identification card shall be deemed granted and a copy of the registry identification application shall be deemed valid registry identification card.
§ 21-28.6-10 Severability. – If any provision of this chapter or its application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.
§ 21-28.6-12 Compassion centers. – (a) A compassion center registered under this section may acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, supply, or dispense marijuana, or related supplies and educational materials, to registered qualifying patients and their registered primary caregivers who have designated it as one of their primary caregivers. A compassion center is a primary caregiver. Except as specifically provided to the contrary, all provisions of the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, §§ 21-28.6-1 – 21-28.6-11, apply to a compassion center unless they conflict with a provision contained in § 21-28.6-12.
(v) Procedures for suspending, revoking or terminating the registration of compassion centers that violate the provisions of this section or the regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection.
(2) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this chapter, the department shall begin accepting applications for the operation of a single compassion center.
(3) Within one hundred fifty (150) days of the effective date of this chapter, the department shall provide for at least one public hearing on the granting of an application to a single compassion center.
(4) Within one hundred ninety (190) days of the effective date of this chapter, the department shall grant a single registration certificate to a single compassion center, providing at least one applicant has applied who meets the requirements of this chapter.
(5) If at any time after fifteen (15) months after the effective date of this chapter, there is no operational compassion center in Rhode Island, the department shall accept applications, provide for input from the public, and issue a registration certificate for a compassion center if a qualified applicant exists.
(6) Within two (2) years of the effective date of this chapter, the department shall begin accepting applications to provide registration certificates for two (2) additional compassion centers. The department shall solicit input from the public, and issue registration certificates if qualified applicants exist.
(7) Any time a compassion center registration certificate is revoked, is relinquished, or expires, the department shall accept applications for a new compassion center.
(8) If at any time after three (3) years after the effective date of this chapter, fewer than three (3) compassion centers are holding valid registration certificates in Rhode Island, the department shall accept applications for a new compassion center. No more than three (3) compassion centers may hold valid registration certificates at one time.
(9) Any compassion center application selected for approval by the department prior to January 1, 2012, shall remain in full force and effect, notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter to the contrary, and shall be subject to state law adopted herein and rules and regulations adopted by the department subsequent to passage of this legislation.
(i) All registry identification card applicants shall apply to the state police for a national criminal identification records check that shall include fingerprints submitted to the federal bureau of investigation. Upon the discovery of a felony drug offense conviction or a plea of nolo contendere for a felony drug offense with a sentence of probation, and in accordance with the rules promulgated by the director, the state police shall inform the applicant, in writing, of the nature of the felony and the state police shall notify the department, in writing, without disclosing the nature of the felony, that a felony drug offense conviction or a plea of nolo contendere for a felony drug offense with probation has been found.
(ii) In those situations in which no felony drug offense conviction or plea of nolo contendere for a felony drug offense with probation has been found, the state police shall inform the applicant and the department, in writing, of this fact.
(iii) All registry identification card applicants shall be responsible for any expense associated with the criminal background check with fingerprints.
(8) A registry identification card of a principal officer, board member, agent, volunteer, or employee shall expire one year after its issuance, or upon the expiration of the registered organization's registration certificate, or upon the termination of the principal officer, board member, agent, volunteer or employee's relationship with the compassion center, whichever occurs first.
(iv) The legislative oversight committee's report, if issued pursuant to subsection (4)(j), does not raise serious concerns about the continued operation of the compassion center applying for renewal.
(iii) The compassion center has not had its registration certificate revoked due to violations of this chapter or regulations issued pursuant to this chapter.
(iv) Employs or enters into a business relationship with a medical practitioner who provides written certification of a qualifying patient's medical condition.
(e) Inspection. Compassion centers are subject to reasonable inspection by the department of health, division of facilities regulation. During an inspection, the department may review the compassion center's confidential records, including its dispensing records, which shall track transactions according to qualifying patients' registry identification numbers to protect their confidentiality.
(5) A compassion center shall implement appropriate security measures to deter and prevent the unauthorized entrance into areas containing marijuana and the theft of marijuana and shall insure that each location has an operational security alarm system. Each compassion center shall request that the Rhode Island state police visit the compassion center to inspect the security of the facility and make any recommendations regarding the security of the facility and its personnel within ten (10) days prior to the initial opening of each compassion center. Said recommendations shall not be binding upon any compassion center, nor shall the lack of implementation of said recommendations delay or prevent the opening or operation of any center. If the Rhode Island state police do not inspect the compassion center within the ten (10) day period there shall be no delay in the compassion center's opening.
(ii) Training in and adherence to state confidentiality laws.
(ii) Informational developments in the field of medical use of marijuana.
(14) All compassion centers shall prepare training documentation for each employee and volunteer and have employees and volunteers sign a statement indicating the date, time, and place the employee and volunteer received said training and topics discussed, to include name and title of presenters. The compassion center shall maintain documentation of an employee's and a volunteer's training for a period of at least six (6) months after termination of an employee's employment or the volunteer's volunteering.
(2) A compassion center or principal officer, board member, agent, volunteer or employee of a compassion center may not dispense an amount of usable marijuana or marijuana plants to a qualifying patient or a qualifying patient's other primary caregiver that the compassion center, principal officer, board member, agent, volunteer, or employee knows would cause the recipient to possess more marijuana than is permitted under the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act.
(3) No principal officers, board members, agents, volunteers, or employees of a registered compassion center shall be subject to arrest, prosecution, search, seizure, or penalty in any manner or denied any right or privilege, including, but not limited to, civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business, occupational, or professional licensing board or entity, solely for working for or with a compassion center to engage in acts permitted by this section.
(4) No state employee shall be subject to arrest, prosecution or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including, but not limited to, civil penalty, disciplinary action, termination, or loss of employee or pension benefits, for any and all conduct that occurs within the scope of his or her employment regarding the administration, execution and/or enforcement of this act, and the provisions of Rhode Island general laws, §§ 9-31-8 and 9-31-9 shall be applicable to this section.
(ii) One thousand five hundred ounces (1500 oz.) of usable marijuana.
(1) The general assembly shall appoint a nine (9) member oversight committee comprised of: one member of the house of representatives; one member of the senate; one physician to be selected from a list provided by the Rhode Island medical society; one nurse to be selected from a list provided by the Rhode Island state nurses association; two (2) registered qualifying patients; one registered primary caregiver; one patient advocate to be selected from a list provided by the Rhode Island patient advocacy coalition; and the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or his/her designee.
(v) Research studies regarding health effects of medical marijuana for patients.
(3) On or before January 1 of every even numbered year, the oversight committee shall report to the general assembly on its findings.
§ 21-28.6-13 Construction. – This chapter shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes thereof.

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