An Act to Prevent the Participation of Individuals and Companies
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1609
Sponsors: FREDERICKS, STEWART
Amends: 22 MRSA §2423-F, 22 MRSA §2425-A, 22 MRSA §2430-I, 28-B MRSA §106, 28-B MRSA §115, 28-B MRSA §202, 28-B MRSA §802-A

Legislative Document
No. 1609
H.P. 1063
House of Representatives, April 15, 2025
An Act to Prevent the Participation of Individuals and Companies 
Linked to Federally Recognized Criminal Organizations in the 
Medical and Adult Use Cannabis Programs
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 11, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FREDERICKS of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook and
Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BOYER of Poland, HENDERSON of Rumford, 
PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, SOBOLESKI of Phillips.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2423-F, sub-§8, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2019, c. 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 a new first 
blocked paragraph to read:
The department may not register and issue a registration certificate to a manufacturing 
facility or a person authorized to engage in cannabis extraction if that person or the 
physical location of the facility is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers 
as being associated with organized crime within the 5 years prior to registering and 
being issued a registration certificate pursuant to section 2425-A, subsection 2-A.
Sec. 2.  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. 3.  22 MRSA §2425-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A.  Registration prohibited; revocation.  The department may not register and issue 
a registry identification card or a registration certificate to a person if:
A.  The person is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being 
associated with organized crime within the 5 years prior to the date a complete 
application was received by the department; or
B.  The person will conduct activity under this chapter at a physical location identified 
by state or federal law enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime 
within the 5 years prior to the date a complete application was received by the 
department.
The department shall communicate regularly with state and federal law enforcement 
officers regarding persons or physical locations known to be associated with organized 
crime within the State.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §2430-I, sub-§8-A, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1.  The office shall revoke a registration for a period of 5 years, upon a finding of 
any association within the 5 years before the finding between a person issued a registry 
identification card or a registration certificate and organized crime as identified by state 
or federal law enforcement officers pursuant to section 2425-A, subsection 2-A.
Sec. 5.  22 MRSA §2430-I, sub-§8-A, ¶C is enacted to read:
C.  A registrant whose registration has been revoked pursuant to paragraph A-1 shall, 
in addition to the requirements in paragraph B, cease all activity authorized under Title 
28-B, chapter 1 until the revocation period ends and the registration is reauthorized.
Sec. 6.  28-B MRSA §106, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Organized crime.  Prior to issuing or renewing an individual identification card to 
a natural person who is a principal, the office shall verify with state or federal law 
enforcement officers that the person is not associated with organized crime under section 
115. A principal who is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being 
associated with organized crime under section 115 may not be issued or have renewed an 
individual identification card. The office shall revoke an individual identification card 
issued under this section for any principal who is identified by state or federal law 
enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime under section 115. A 
principal whose individual identification card is revoked under this subsection is prohibited 
from reapplying for any license issued under this Title or for any registry identification 
card or registration certificate issued under Title 22, chapter 558-C. The licensee must be 
provided an opportunity to remove the principal or transfer the principal's ownership 
interests pursuant to section 210.
Sec. 7.  28-B MRSA §115 is enacted to read:
§115.  Communication with state and federal law enforcement officers
For the purposes of enforcing this chapter, the office shall communicate regularly with 
state and federal law enforcement officers regarding persons or physical locations known 
to be associated with organized crime within the State.
Sec. 8.  28-B MRSA §202, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  No association with organized crime; applicant.  The applicant may not be 
identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being associated with organized 
crime under section 115 within the 5 years prior to application.
Sec. 9.  28-B MRSA §202, sub-§4-B is enacted to read:
4-B.  No association with organized crime; premises.  The applicant may not propose 
to operate a licensed premises at a physical location identified by state or federal law 
enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime under section 115 within 
the last 5 years prior to application.
Sec. 10.  28-B MRSA §802-A, sub-§6, ¶A-1 is enacted to read:
A-1.  Upon a finding of any association within the 5 years before the finding between 
a person or premises issued a license under this chapter and organized crime under 
section 115 as identified by state or federal law enforcement officers, the office shall 
revoke the license for a period of 5 years.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Office of 
Cannabis Policy to deny a license under the Cannabis Legalization Act to any person 
associated with organized crime as identified by state or federal law enforcement officers 
within the 5 years prior to application. It requires the office to deny a license to any person 
who operates a cannabis establishment at a physical location known to be associated with 
organized crime within the 5 years before the finding of the association as identified by 
state or federal law enforcement officers. It also requires the office to revoke, for a period 
of 5 years, a license currently held by a licensee if the person or the physical location of a 
licensed cannabis establishment is known to be associated with organized crime as 
identified by state or federal law enforcement officers. These requirements also apply to 
registrations issued under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act.