An Act to Prevent Illegal Cannabis Growing Operations in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1455
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CYRWAY, LAJOIE
Amends: 22 MRSA §2421-A, 22 MRSA §2423-F, 22 MRSA §2425-A, 28-B MRSA §102-A, 28-B MRSA §202

Legislative Document
No. 1455
S.P. 596
In Senate, April 3, 2025
An Act to Prevent Illegal Cannabis Growing Operations in the State
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Representative LAJOIE of Lewiston and
Senator: BENNETT of Oxford, Representatives: BOYER of Poland, BUNKER of Farmington, 
FREDERICKS of Sanford, HASENFUS of Readfield, LOOKNER of Portland, MCINTYRE 
of Lowell, NUTTING of Oakland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2421-A, sub-§19, as enacted by PL 2023, c.679, Pt. A, §3, is 
amended by enacting at the end a new first blocked paragraph to read:
Notwithstanding paragraphs A to C, "disqualifying drug offense" includes a conviction 
related to the cultivation or distribution of cannabis that is not authorized in this chapter, in 
the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter or in Title 28-B or in the rules adopted pursuant 
to Title 28-B and that occurred on or after October 1, 2025.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §2423-F, sub-§8, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2019, c. 
331, §17 and amended by PL 2021, c. 669, §5, is further amended by enacting at the end a 
new first blocked paragraph to read:
The department may not register and issue a registration certificate to a facility or a 
person authorized to engage in cannabis extraction if the physical location of the 
facility or person is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement officers for 
the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or was used by a person convicted of 
illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §2425-A, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 452, §12, is amended 
to read:
2.  Required registration.  A caregiver, other than a caregiver operating under section 
2423‑A, subsection 3, paragraph C, and an officer or director or assistant of a dispensary 
or a caregiver, other than a caregiver operating under section 2423‑A, subsection 3, 
paragraph C, shall obtain a registry identification card in accordance with subsections 2-A, 
3, 4 and 5.  A long-term care facility designated by a qualifying patient pursuant to section 
2423‑A, subsection 1, paragraph F‑1, subparagraph (2) and a dispensary shall obtain a 
registration certificate in accordance with subsections 2-A, 6, 7 and 8.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §2425-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A.  Registration prohibited.  The department may not register and issue a registry 
identification card or a registration certificate to a person if the person is registering to 
conduct activity under this chapter at a physical location that is under an investigation by 
state or federal law enforcement officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of 
cannabis or that was used by a person convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of 
cannabis for those purposes.
Sec. 5.  28-B MRSA §102-A, sub-§28, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 679, Pt. B, §3, is 
amended by enacting at the end a new first blocked paragraph to read:
Notwithstanding paragraphs A and B, "disqualifying drug offense" includes a conviction 
related to the cultivation or distribution of cannabis that is not authorized in this Title, in 
the rules adopted pursuant to this Title or in the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act or in 
the rules adopted pursuant to that Act and that occurred on or after October 1, 2025.
Sec. 6.  28-B MRSA §202, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  Not under investigation; premises.  The applicant may not propose to operate 
licensed premises at a physical location that is under investigation by state or federal law 
enforcement officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or that was used 
by a person convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the definition of "disqualifying drug offense" in the Maine Medical 
Use of Cannabis Act and in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 28-B to provide that a 
conviction that occurred after October 1, 2025 related to the cultivation or distribution of 
cannabis that is not authorized in the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act or in Title 28-B 
is a disqualifying drug offense. 
It also provides that the Department of Administrative and Financial Services may not 
register or issue a registration certificate for cannabis to a facility or a person if the physical 
location of the facility or person is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement 
officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or was used by a person 
convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes. The Office 
of Cannabis Policy within the department may not issue a license under the Cannabis 
Legalization Act to an applicant proposing to operate licensed premises at a physical 
location that is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement officers for the 
illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or that was used by a person convicted of 
illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.