An Act To Provide for Oversight of Maine's Recreational Marijuana Laws Reference to the Joint Select Committee on Marijuana Legalization Implementation suggested and ordered printed. HEATHER J.R. PRIEST Secretary of the Senate
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0387
Committee: Marijuana Legalization Implementation
Sponsors: GRATWICK, McCREA, DESCHAMBAULT, DILL, DION, VITELLI, HUBBELL, STEWART, ZEIGLER
Amends: 7 MRSA §2444, 22 MRSA §412

Legislative Document
No. 387
S.P. 128
In Senate, February 2, 2017
An Act To Provide for Oversight of Maine's Recreational 
Marijuana Laws
Reference to the Joint Select Committee on Marijuana Legalization Implementation 
suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator GRATWICK of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative McCREA of Fort Fairfield and
Senators: DESCHAMBAULT of York, DILL of Penobscot, DION of Cumberland, VITELLI 
of Sagadahoc, Representatives: HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, STEWART of Presque Isle, 
ZEIGLER of Montville.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §2444, sub-§1, as enacted by IB 2015, c. 5, §1, is amended to 
read: 
1.  Commissioner is chief administrative officer.  The Commissioner of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is the chief administrative officer of the state 
licensing authority and may employ such officers and employees as may be determined to 
be necessary. The state licensing authority has the authority to: 
A.  Grant or refuse licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, sale and 
testing of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products as provided by this chapter;  
B.  Suspend, fine, restrict or revoke licenses under paragraph A upon a violation of 
this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to this chapter; and 
C.  Impose any penalty authorized by this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to this 
chapter. 
Pursuant to Title 22, section 412, subsection 6, paragraph A, the Statewide Coordinating 
Council for Public Health serves in an advisory capacity to the Commissioner of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on public health matters related to retail 
marijuana. 
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §412, sub-§6, ¶A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 306, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  The Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health shall: 
(1)  Participate as appropriate to help ensure the state public health system is 
ready and maintained for accreditation;  
(4)  Assist the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in planning for 
the essential public health services and resources to be provided in each district 
and across the State in the most efficient, effective and evidence-based manner 
possible; 
(5)  Receive reports from the tribal district coordinating council for public health 
regarding readiness for tribal public health systems for accreditation if offered; 
and 
(6)  Participate as appropriate and as resources permit to help support tribal 
public health systems to prepare for and maintain accreditation if assistance is 
requested from any tribe.; and 
(7)  Serve, pursuant to Title 7, section 2444, subsection 1, in an advisory capacity 
on public health matters related to retail marijuana to the Commissioner of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry as chief administrative officer of the state 
licensing authority for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing and sale 
of retail marijuana and any of that commissioner's officers and employees. 
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall provide staff support to 
the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health as resources permit.  Other 
agencies of State Government as necessary and appropriate shall provide additional 
staff support or assistance to the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health as 
resources permit. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Statewide Coordinating Council for Public Health to serve in an 
advisory capacity on public health matters related to retail marijuana to the Commissioner 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry acting as chief administrative officer of the 
state licensing authority for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing and sale of 
retail marijuana.