Rhode Island HB 8135: AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS - THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT

Bill Text

2020 -- H 8135 
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LC005576 
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S T A T E     O F     R H O D E     I S L A N D 
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 
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A N   A C T 
RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS - THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. 
SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT 
Introduced By: Representative Anastasia P. Williams 
Date Introduced: September 24, 2020 
Referred To: House Corporations 
 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1.  Section  21-28.6-12  of  the General  Laws  in  Chapter  21-28.6  entitled  "The 1 
Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act" is hereby amended to read as 2 
follows: 3 
21-28.6-12. Compassion centers. 4 
(a)  A  compassion  center  licensed  under  this  section  may  acquire,  possess,  cultivate, 5 
manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, supply, or dispense medical marijuana, or related supplies 6 
and educational materials, to registered qualifying patients and their registered primary caregivers 7 
or  authorized  purchasers,  or  out-of-state  patient  cardholders  or  other  marijuana  establishment 8 
licensees. Except as specifically provided to the contrary, all provisions of this chapter (the Edward 9 
O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater medical marijuana act), apply to a compassion center unless the 10 
provision(s) conflict with a provision contained in this section. 11 
(b) License of compassion centers -- authority of the departments of health and business 12 
regulation: 13 
(1) Not later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this chapter, the department 14 
of health shall promulgate regulations governing the manner in which it shall consider applications 15 
for licenses for compassion centers, including regulations governing: 16 
(i) The form and content of license and renewal applications; 17 
(ii) Minimum oversight requirements for compassion centers; 18 

 
 
 
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(iii) Minimum record-keeping requirements for compassion centers; 1 
(iv) Minimum security requirements for compassion centers; and 2 
(v) Procedures for suspending, revoking, or terminating the license of compassion centers 3 
that violate the provisions of this section or the regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection. 4 
(2) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this chapter, the department of health 5 
shall begin accepting applications for the operation of a single compassion center. 6 
(3) Within one hundred fifty (150) days of the effective date of this chapter, the department 7 
of health shall provide for at least one public hearing on the granting of an application to a single 8 
compassion center. 9 
(4)  Within  one  hundred ninety  (190)  days  of  the  effective  date  of  this  chapter,  the 10 
department of health shall grant a single license to a single compassion center, providing at least 11 
one applicant has applied who meets the requirements of this chapter. 12 
(5) If at any time after fifteen (15) months after the effective date of this chapter, there is 13 
no  operational  compassion  center  in  Rhode  Island,  the  department  of  health  shall  accept 14 
applications,  provide  for  input  from  the  public,  and  issue  a  license  for  a  compassion  center  if a 15 
qualified applicant exists. 16 
(6) Within two (2) years of the effective date of this chapter, the department of health shall 17 
begin  accepting  applications  to  provide  licenses  for  two  (2)  additional  compassion  centers.  The 18 
department shall solicit input from the public, and issue licenses if qualified applicants exist. 19 
(7)(i) Any time a compassion center license is revoked, is relinquished, or expires on or 20 
before December 31, 2016, the department of health shall accept applications for a new compassion 21 
center. 22 
(ii) Any time a compassion center license is revoked, is relinquished, or expires on or after 23 
January  1,  2017,  the  department  of  business  regulation  shall  accept  applications  for  a  new 24 
compassion center. 25 
(8)(i) If at any time after three (3) years after the effective date of this chapter and on or 26 
before December 31, 2016, fewer than three (3) compassion centers are holding valid licenses in 27 
Rhode Island, the department of health shall accept applications for a new compassion center. If at 28 
any time  on or after January 1, 2017, fewer  than three (3) compassion centers  are  holding valid 29 
licenses in Rhode Island, the department of business regulation shall accept applications for a new 30 
compassion center. There shall be nine (9) compassion centers that may hold valid licenses at one 31 
time. If at any time on or after July 1, 2019, fewer than nine (9) compassion centers are holding 32 
valid licenses in Rhode Island, the department of business regulation shall accept applications for 33 
new compassion centers and shall continue the process until nine (9) licenses have been issued by 34 

 
 
 
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