Bill Text: CT HB06518 | 2017 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Retail Sale Of Marijuana.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-24 - Referred to Joint Committee on Appropriations [HB06518 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2017-HB06518-Introduced.html

General Assembly

 

Proposed Bill No. 6518

 

January Session, 2017

 

LCO No. 3098

 

*03098*

Referred to Committee on APPROPRIATIONS

 

Introduced by:

 

REP. WALKER, 93rd Dist.

REP. PORTER, 94th Dist.

 

AN ACT CONCERNING THE RETAIL SALE OF MARIJUANA.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars be appropriated to the Department of Consumer Protection, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, for the purpose of staffing a retail sale of marijuana program and that titles 12, 14 and 21a of the general statutes be amended to: (1) Permit the retail sale of marijuana to and for use by persons twenty-one years of age or older; (2) provide that revenue generated from taxation on such sale go to the General Fund, except that some shall go to (A) drug awareness education and efforts to curb abuse of opiates, alcohol and other harmful substances, (B) ensure the marijuana is tested for illicit substances and potency, and (C) study the impact of marijuana legalization and consumption; (3) require the Department of Consumer Protection to provide oversight and regulations, unless there is a specific provision for another agency to adopt certain regulations; (4) require all marijuana of a certain potency be labeled as such and that such marijuana be packaged in a child-safe manner; (5) require roadside testing for impaired drivers and that driving under the influence laws apply when marijuana has been consumed in the previous two hours; (6) provide for separate statutory schemes for medical and recreational use of marijuana; (7) ensure current legal status concerning growth for personal use; (8) ensure that medical marijuana not be subject to a retail sales tax adopted for marijuana; (9) require that consumers transport marijuana in a sealed container; (10) establish a licensing fee and renewal fee for each licensed dispensary, provided such fee shall not be less than the amount necessary to cover the direct and indirect cost of licensing and regulating dispensaries; (11) provide for renewal of such dispensary licenses every two years; (12) describe areas in this state where licensed dispensaries may not be located, after considering the criteria for the location of retail liquor permits premises set forth in subsection (a) of section 30-46 of the general statutes; (13) establish health, safety and security requirements for licensed dispensaries, which may include, but not need to be limited to, the ability to maintain adequate control against the diversion, theft and loss of marijuana acquired or possessed by a licensed dispensary, and the ability to maintain the knowledge, understanding, judgment, procedures, security controls and ethics to ensure optimal safety and accuracy in the distributing, dispensing and use of marijuana; (14) establish standards and procedures for revocation, suspension, summary suspension and nonrenewal of dispensary licenses, provided such standards and procedures are consistent with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 4-182 of the general statutes; (15) establish other licensing, renewal and operational standards deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection in regulations; (16) provide that any fees collected by the Department of Consumer Protection for this program be paid to the State Treasurer and credited to a nonlapsing account established for this program; (17) provide that the number of producer licenses issued does not exceed the number appropriate to meet the needs of consumers in this state, as determined by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, in regulations that, at a minimum, indicate the maximum number of producers that may be licensed in this state at any time, which number shall not be less than twenty-four, nor more than forty-eight producers; (18) provide that no marijuana may be sold, delivered, transported or distributed by a producer from or to a location outside this state; (19) establish a nonrefundable application fee of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars for each application submitted for a producer license; (20) provide for renewal of such producer licenses at least every five years; (21) provide that no producer may cultivate marijuana outside of this state and designate permissible locations for licensed producers in this state; (22) establish financial requirements for producers under which each applicant demonstrates the financial capacity to build and operate a marijuana production facility; (23) establish other licensing, renewal and operational standards deemed necessary by the commissioner in regulations; and (24) provide that a licensed producer shall not be located on the same premises or property of a producer licensed for the palliative use of marijuana.

Statement of Purpose:

To legalize and regulate the retail sale of marijuana to be consumed by persons twenty-one years of age or older, with the oversight in Department of Consumer Protection and to appropriate funds to staff the program.

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