HOUSE BILL No. 4877

September 17, 2015, Introduced by Reps. Irwin, Singh, Robinson, Hovey-Wright, Chang, Hoadley and Sarah Roberts and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to decriminalize and regulate marihuana cultivation,

 

production, testing, sale, possession, and use for nonmedical

 

purposes; to provide for licensing of certain marihuana facilities

 

and stores; to authorize collection of fees; to impose an excise

 

tax on marihuana transfers by a marihuana cultivation facility; to

 

provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local

 

governmental officers and agencies; to authorize local units of

 

government to adopt limited regulation of marihuana facilities and

 

stores; and to require the promulgation of rules.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the

 

"marihuana legalization and regulation act".

 

     (2) The cultivation, processing, testing, possession, and use

 

of marihuana for nonmedical purposes are decriminalized and


regulated under the this act for use by individuals 21 years of age

 

or older in the manner provided in this act.

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act, and unless the context otherwise

 

requires:

 

     (a) "Consumer" means an individual 21 years of age or older

 

who purchases marihuana or marihuana products for personal use by

 

himself or herself or another individual 21 years of age or older,

 

but not for resale.

 

     (b) "Department" means the department of licensing and

 

regulatory affairs.

 

     (c) "Industrial hemp" means a plant of the genus Cannabis and

 

any part of that plant, whether growing or not, with a delta-9

 

tetrahydrocannabinol concentration that does not exceed 0.3% on a

 

dry weight basis.

 

     (d) "License" means an exemption from arrest, prosecution,

 

forfeiture, or penalty in any manner by this state or local

 

authority for conduct identified in this act.

 

     (e) "Locality" means a county, city, village, or township.

 

     (f) "Marihuana" means any part of the plant of the genus

 

Cannabis whether growing or not, its seeds, the resin extracted

 

from any part of the plant, and every compound, manufacture, salt,

 

derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or its

 

resin, including marihuana concentrate. Marihuana does not include

 

industrial hemp, the fiber produced from the stalks of the plant,

 

oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, sterilized seed of

 

the plant that is incapable of germination. The weight of any other

 

ingredient combined with marihuana to prepare topical or oral

 


administrations, food, drink, or other products is not included

 

when determining the weight of marihuana.

 

     (g) "Marihuana cultivation facility" means an entity licensed

 

to cultivate, prepare, or package and sell marihuana to marihuana

 

distributors, retail marihuana stores, marihuana product

 

manufacturing facilities, or other marihuana cultivation

 

facilities, but not to consumers.

 

     (h) "Marihuana distributor" means an entity licensed to

 

purchase marihuana from a marihuana cultivation facility, to

 

purchase marihuana and marihuana products from a marihuana product

 

manufacturing facility, and to sell marihuana and marihuana

 

products to a retail marihuana store.

 

     (i) "Marihuana establishment" means a marihuana cultivation

 

facility, a marihuana testing facility, a marihuana product

 

manufacturing facility, a marihuana distributor, or a retail

 

marihuana store.

 

     (j) "Marihuana product manufacturing facility" means an entity

 

licensed to purchase marihuana; manufacture, prepare, and package

 

marihuana products; and sell marihuana and marihuana products to

 

other marihuana product manufacturing facilities, to marihuana

 

distributors, and to retail marihuana stores, but not to consumers.

 

     (k) "Marihuana products" means products containing

 

concentrated marihuana and products that are composed of marihuana

 

and other ingredients and are intended for use or consumption, such

 

as, but not limited to, edible products, ointments, and tinctures.

 

     (l) "Marihuana testing facility" means an entity licensed to

 

analyze and certify the safety and potency of marihuana.

 


     (m) "Medical marihuana act" means the Michigan medical

 

marihuana act, 2008 IL 1, MCL 333.26421 to 333.26430, and any other

 

law of this state regulating marihuana for medical use.

 

     (n) "Medical marihuana center" means an entity licensed by a

 

state agency to sell marihuana and marihuana products for use as

 

provided in the medical marihuana act.

 

     (o) "Retail marihuana store" means an entity licensed to

 

purchase marihuana from marihuana cultivation facilities and

 

marihuana and marihuana products from marihuana distributors or

 

marihuana product manufacturing facilities and to sell marihuana

 

and marihuana products to consumers.

 

     (p) "Unreasonably impracticable" means that the measures

 

necessary to comply with the regulations require such a high risk

 

or investment of money, time, or any other resource or asset that a

 

reasonably prudent businessperson would not engage in the operation

 

of a marihuana establishment.

 

     Sec. 3. Notwithstanding any other law, the following acts

 

performed by an individual 21 years of age or older without

 

remuneration are not unlawful, are not an offense under the law of

 

this state or any locality within this state, are not grounds for

 

seizing or forfeiting property, and are not grounds for arrest,

 

prosecution, or penalty in any manner:

 

     (a) Possessing, using, displaying, purchasing, or transporting

 

marihuana accessories or 1 ounce or less of marihuana.

 

     (b) Possessing, growing, processing, or transporting 12 or

 

fewer marihuana plants that exceed 12 inches in either height or

 

diameter and possessing the marihuana derived from those plants on

 


the premises where the plants are grown. This subdivision applies

 

only if the plants are grown in an enclosed, locked space and not

 

openly or publicly displayed.

 

     (c) Transferring 1 ounce or less of marihuana to an individual

 

who is 21 years of age or older.

 

     (d) Consuming marihuana, if the consumption is not conducted

 

openly and publicly or in a manner that endangers others.

 

     (e) Possessing, growing, receiving, or transferring marihuana

 

seed stock or any number of immature plants less than 12 inches in

 

height and diameter that do not have buds or flowers.

 

     (f) Assisting another individual who is 21 years of age or

 

older in any of the acts described in subdivisions (a) to (e).

 

     Sec. 4. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the

 

following acts performed by persons 21 years of age or older in

 

accordance with this act are not unlawful, are not an offense under

 

the law of this state or any locality within this state, are not

 

grounds for seizing or forfeiting property, and are not grounds for

 

arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner:

 

     (a) Manufacturing, possessing, or purchasing marihuana

 

accessories or selling marihuana accessories to an individual who

 

is 21 years of age or older.

 

     (b) Possessing, displaying, or transporting marihuana or

 

marihuana products; purchasing marihuana from a marihuana

 

cultivation facility; purchasing marihuana or marihuana products

 

from a marihuana product manufacturing facility; or selling

 

marihuana or marihuana products to consumers, if the person

 

conducting the activity under this subdivision has obtained a

 


current, valid license to operate a retail marihuana store or as a

 

marihuana distributor or is acting in his or her capacity as an

 

owner, employee, or agent of a licensed retail marihuana store or

 

marihuana distributor.

 

     (c) Cultivating, harvesting, processing, packaging,

 

transporting, displaying, or possessing marihuana; delivering or

 

transferring marihuana to a marihuana testing facility; selling

 

marihuana to another marihuana cultivation facility, a marihuana

 

product manufacturing facility, a marihuana distributor, or a

 

retail marihuana store; or purchasing marihuana from another

 

marihuana cultivation facility, if the person conducting any

 

activity under this subdivision has obtained a current, valid

 

license to operate a marihuana cultivation facility or is acting in

 

his or her capacity as an owner, employee, or agent of a licensed

 

marihuana cultivation facility.

 

     (d) Packaging, processing, transporting, manufacturing,

 

displaying, or possessing marihuana or marihuana products;

 

delivering or transferring marihuana or marihuana products to a

 

marihuana testing facility; selling marihuana or marihuana products

 

to a marihuana distributor, a retail marihuana store, or another

 

marihuana product manufacturing facility or a marihuana

 

distributor; purchasing marihuana from a marihuana cultivation

 

facility; or purchasing marihuana or marihuana products from

 

another marihuana product manufacturing facility, if the person

 

conducting any activity under this subdivision has obtained a

 

current, valid license to operate a marihuana product manufacturing

 

facility or is acting in his or her capacity as an owner, employee,

 


or agent of a licensed marihuana product manufacturing facility.

 

     (e) Possessing, cultivating, processing, repackaging, storing,

 

transporting, displaying, transferring or delivering marihuana or

 

marihuana products if the person has obtained a current, valid

 

license to operate a marihuana testing facility or is acting in his

 

or her capacity as an owner, employee, or agent of a licensed

 

marihuana testing facility.

 

     (f) Leasing or otherwise allowing the use of property owned,

 

occupied, or controlled by any person, corporation, or other entity

 

for any of the activities conducted lawfully in accordance with

 

subdivisions (a) to (e).

 

     (2) To ensure the most secure, reliable, and accountable

 

system for producing and distributing marihuana and marihuana

 

products in accordance with this act, the department shall use the

 

following criteria as primary considerations in any competitive

 

application by applicants for a license under this act:

 

     (a) Prior experience producing or distributing marihuana or

 

marihuana products under this act in the locality in which the

 

applicant seeks to operate a marihuana establishment.

 

     (b) Consistent compliance with this act and relevant state law

 

and administrative rules during the experience described in

 

subdivision (a).

 

     (3) The department shall not require a consumer to provide a

 

retail marihuana store with personal information other than

 

government-issued identification to determine the consumer's age

 

and shall not require a retail marihuana store to acquire or record

 

personal information about consumers other than information

 


typically acquired in a financial transaction conducted at a retail

 

liquor store.

 

     Sec. 5. Marihuana sold or otherwise transferred by a marihuana

 

cultivation facility to a marihuana product manufacturing facility,

 

a marihuana distributor, or a retail marihuana store is subject to

 

an excise tax. The excise tax rate is 5% in 2017 and increases by

 

1% each successive January 1 until it reaches 10%. The department

 

of treasury shall establish procedures for collecting the excise

 

tax. After depositing into the general fund an amount equal to the

 

department's necessary administrative costs that exceed the amount

 

collected in license application fees, 40% of the balance of the

 

proceeds of the excise tax shall be deposited in the school aid

 

fund to be used exclusively for early childhood education, 40%

 

shall be deposited in the Michigan transportation fund, and 20%

 

shall be allocated to the department of health and human services

 

to be used exclusively for substance abuse treatment programs.

 

Marihuana intended for sale at medical marihuana centers is exempt

 

from the excise tax under this section.

 

     Sec. 6. A locality may adopt an ordinance that does not

 

conflict with this act or administrative rules implementing this

 

act. The ordinance may govern the time, place, manner, and number

 

of marihuana establishments. The ordinance shall designate a

 

violation of the ordinance as a municipal civil infraction and

 

provide a civil fine for that violation. A locality may prohibit

 

the operation of marihuana cultivation facilities, marihuana

 

product manufacturing facilities, marihuana testing facilities, or

 

retail marihuana stores by ordinance or an initiated or referred

 


measure. An initiated or referred measure to prohibit the operation

 

of marihuana cultivation facilities, marihuana product

 

manufacturing facilities, marihuana testing facilities, or retail

 

marihuana stores must be submitted to the voters at a general

 

election.

 

     Sec. 7. Each application for a new annual license to operate a

 

marihuana establishment or annual license renewal shall be

 

submitted to the department. The department shall do all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Begin accepting and processing applications on January 1,

 

2017.

 

     (b) Immediately upon receipt, forward a copy of the

 

application to the locality in which the applicant desires to

 

operate the marihuana establishment. The application fee shall be

 

deposited into the state treasury, and upon appropriation, 1/2 of

 

the fee shall be paid to the locality in which the establishment

 

will be located.

 

     (c) Issue an annual license to the applicant between 45 and 90

 

days after receipt of an application unless the department finds

 

the applicant is not in compliance with rules adopted under section

 

10 or the department is notified by the relevant locality that the

 

applicant is not in compliance with an ordinance or initiated

 

measure adopted under section 6 and in effect at the time of

 

application. If a locality has enacted a numerical limit on the

 

number of marihuana establishments and a greater number of

 

applicants seek licenses, the department shall solicit and consider

 

input from the locality as to the locality's preference or

 


preferences for licensure.

 

     (d) If the department makes a finding of noncompliance or

 

otherwise does not issue a license under subdivision (c), promptly

 

notify the applicant in writing of the specific reason for failure

 

to issue the license.

 

     Sec. 8. (1) This act does not require an employer to permit or

 

accommodate the use, consumption, possession, transfer, display,

 

transportation, sale, or growing of marihuana in the workplace or

 

prohibit an employer from adopting a policy restricting employee

 

use of marihuana.

 

     (2) This act does not authorize driving or operating under the

 

influence of marihuana or driving while impaired by marihuana or

 

supersede or restrict state law related to driving under the

 

influence of marihuana or driving while impaired by marihuana.

 

     (3) This act does not authorize the transfer of marihuana or

 

marihuana accessories, with or without remuneration, to an

 

individual under the age of 21 or allow an individual under the age

 

of 21 to purchase, possess, use, transport, grow, or consume

 

marihuana.

 

     (4) This act does not prohibit a person, employer, school,

 

hospital, detention facility, corporation, or any other entity that

 

occupies, owns, or controls private property from prohibiting or

 

otherwise regulating the possession, consumption, use, display,

 

transfer, distribution, sale, transportation, or growing of

 

marihuana on or in that private property.

 

     Sec. 9. This act does not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Limit any privileges or rights of a medical marihuana

 


patient, primary caregiver, or licensed entity as provided in the

 

medical marihuana act.

 

     (b) Authorize a medical marihuana center to distribute

 

marihuana to a person who is not permitted to receive that

 

distribution under the medical marihuana act.

 

     (c) Authorize a medical marihuana center to purchase marihuana

 

or marihuana products in a manner or from a source not authorized

 

under the medical marihuana act.

 

     (d) Authorize any medical marihuana center operating under the

 

medical marihuana act to operate on the same premises as a retail

 

marihuana store.

 

     (e) Discharge a state department, agency, board, or commission

 

from any statutory and constitutional duty to regulate medical

 

marihuana under the medical marihuana act.

 

     Sec. 10. Not later than January 1, 2017, the department shall

 

adopt rules necessary to implement this act under the

 

administrative procedure act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to

 

301.328. The rules shall not prohibit the operation of marihuana

 

establishments, either expressly or through regulations that are

 

unreasonably impracticable. The rules shall include:

 

     (a) Procedures for issuing, renewing, suspending, and revoking

 

a license to operate a marihuana establishment.

 

     (b) A schedule of application, licensing, and renewal fees. An

 

original application fee shall not exceed $5,000.00, and a renewal

 

application fee shall not exceed $500.00, adjusted annually by the

 

department for inflation, unless the department determines that a

 

greater fee is necessary to carry out its responsibilities under

 


this act.

 

     (c) Qualifications for licensure that are directly and

 

demonstrably related to the operation of a marihuana establishment,

 

such as the applicant's business experience and tax payment status.

 

     (d) Security requirements for marihuana establishments.

 

     (e) Requirements to prevent the sale or diversion of marihuana

 

and marihuana products to individuals under the age of 21.

 

     (f) Labeling requirements for marihuana and marihuana products

 

sold or distributed by a marihuana establishment to ensure that

 

consumers are informed and protected.

 

     (g) Health and safety regulations and standards for the

 

manufacture of marihuana products and the cultivation of marihuana.

 

     (h) Reasonable restrictions on advertising and displaying

 

marihuana and marihuana products.

 

     (i) A schedule of civil fines for violations of this act or

 

rules implementing this act, based on the severity of the

 

violation. Any civil fine shall not exceed $1,000.00.

 

     Sec. 11. A person who violates this act is responsible for a

 

civil fine in an amount provided in the schedule adopted under

 

section 10(i).

 

     Sec. 12. Except as otherwise indicated in this act, this act

 

supersedes a conflicting state statute or administrative rule and a

 

local charter, ordinance, or resolution.