What's new
  • Please note members who been with us for more than 10 years have been upgraded to "Veteran" status and will receive exclusive benefits. If you wish to find out more about this or support IcMag and get same benefits, check this thread here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

new Cali med laws for dummies - or why you are done growing next year

Chunkypigs

passing the gas
Veteran
nice breakdown by Mickey Martin. his take on the new regs in BOLD below the actual regs.
http://reformca.org/freedom/2015/09/13/sb-643-analysis-and-breakdown.-what-does-it-do/

SB 643

An act amend Section 2220.05 of Sections 144, 2220.05, 2241.5, and 2242.1 of, to add Sections 19302.1, 19319, 19320, 19322, 19323, 19324, and 19325 to, to add Article 25 (commencing with Section 2525) to Chapter 5 of Division 2 of, and to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 19331), Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 19335), Article 8 (commencing with Section 19337), and Article 11 (commencing with Section 19348) to Chapter 3.5 of Division 8 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to medical marijuana.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 643, as amended, McGuire. Medical marijuana.

(1) Existing law, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, an initiative measure enacted by the approval of Proposition 215 at the November 6, 1996, statewide general election, authorizes the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Existing law enacted by the Legislature requires the establishment of a program for the issuance of identification cards to qualified patients so that they may lawfully use marijuana for medical purposes, and requires the establishment of guidelines for the lawful cultivation of marijuana grown for medical use. Existing law provides for the licensure of various professions by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law, the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, provides for the regulation of food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics, as specified. A violation of that law is a crime.

In other words….. They can regulate everything in one way or another under their authority.
This bill would, among other things, set forth standards for a physician and surgeon prescribing medical cannabis and require that the Medical Board of California to prioritize its investigative and prosecutorial resources to identify and discipline physicians and surgeons that have repeatedly recommended excessive cannabis to patients for medical purposes or repeatedly recommending cannabis to patients for medical purposes without a good faith examination, as specified. The bill would require the Bureau of Medical Marijuana to require an applicant to furnish a full set of fingerprints for the purposes of conducting criminal history record checks. The bill would prohibit a physician and surgeon who recommends cannabis to a patient for a medical purpose from accepting, soliciting, or offering any form of remuneration from a facility licensed under the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act. The bill would make a violation of this prohibition a misdemeanor, and by creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

So the goal is to make it more difficult for doctors to recommend cannabis to patients, and authorizes the Medical Board to “prioritize” going after pot docs. Bottom line is they want less people qualifying to use cannabis and will make it a priority to fuck with doctors who are writing “excessive” recommendations.

It also authorizes them to take fingerprints and run background checks on applicants, and ensure doctors are not taking kickbacks from dispensaries.
This bill would require the Governor, under the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, to appoint, subject to confirmation by the Senate, a chief of the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. The act would require the Department of Consumer Affairs to have the sole authority to create, issue, renew, discipline, suspend, or revoke licenses for the transportation and storage, unrelated to manufacturing, of medical marijuana, and would authorize the department to collect fees for its regulatory activities and impose specified duties on this department in this regard. The act would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to administer the provisions of the act related to, and associated with, the cultivation, and transportation of, medical cannabis and would impose specified duties on this department in this regard. The act would require the State Department of Public Health to administer the provisions of the act related to, and associated with, the manufacturing and testing of medical cannabis and would impose specified duties on this department in this regard.

So the Governor appoints a “Chief” of this new Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. That person is confirmed by the Senate. They basically oversee the whole program.
The Department of Consumer Affairs is in control of licensing for a vast array of the industry, including transportation and storage; but not manufacturing… for a fee of course.
The Department of Food and Agriculture will administer issues related to cultivation, and transport of cannabis from cultivators.
The Department of Public Health would deal with the manufacturing (edibles, concentrates, etc.), as well as the required lab testing of products.
For the record… All of these departments are not thrilled about cannabis in any way, and it will be interesting to see if they are capable of working together on this program at all. Talk about stupid.

This bill would authorize counties to impose a tax upon specified cannabis-related activity.

Taxes…. Imagine that.
This bill would require an applicant for a state license pursuant to the act to provide a statement signed by the applicant under penalty of perjury, thereby changing the scope of a crime and imposing a state-mandated local program.

Sign here so when you fuck up we can throw you in jail and/or fine you heavily.
This bill would set forth standards for the licensed cultivation of medical cannabis, including, but not limited to, establishing duties relating to the environmental impact of cannabis and cannabis products. The bill would also establish state cultivator license types, as specified.

“Standards” is a slippery slope, as it does not really spell them out; yet leaves it up to the Department of Agriculture. What could go wrong there?
(2) This bill would provide that its provisions are severable.

(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

If what the state sets forth costs local agencies and/or school districts money the state will pay it as required by the constitution.
(4) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meeting of public bodies or the writings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with finding demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. The bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

If provisions in the law limits activities of public bodies from sunshine laws, these provisions would also fall under those parameters.
(5) The bill would become operative only if AB 266 and AB 243 of the 2015–16 Regular Session are enacted and take effect on or before January 1, 2016.

All of the laws must pass for any to take effect…. And they will.
BILL TEXT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: (The actual law)

SECTION 1. Section 144 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

144. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an agency designated in subdivision (b) shall require an applicant to furnish to the agency a full set of fingerprints for purposes of conducting criminal history record checks. Any agency designated in subdivision (b) may obtain and receive, at its discretion, criminal history information from the Department of Justice and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The following State agencies require background checks….
(b) Subdivision (a) applies to the following:

(1) California Board of Accountancy.

(2) State Athletic Commission.

(3) Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(4) Court Reporters Board of California.

(5) State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind.

(6) California State Board of Pharmacy.

(7) Board of Registered Nursing.

(8) Veterinary Medical Board.

(9) Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.

(10) Respiratory Care Board of California.

(11) Physical Therapy Board of California.

(12) Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California.

(13) Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispenser Board.

(14) Medical Board of California.

(15) State Board of Optometry.

(16) Acupuncture Board.

(17) Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.

(18) Bureau of Security and Investigative Services.

(19) Division of Investigation.

(20) Board of Psychology.

(21) California Board of Occupational Therapy.

(22) Structural Pest Control Board.

(23) Contractors’ State License Board.

(24) Naturopathic Medicine Committee.

(25) Professional Fiduciaries Bureau.

(26) Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.

(27) Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. (This was added to agencies requiring background checks)

(c) For purposes of paragraph (26) of subdivision (b), the term “applicant” shall be limited to an initial applicant who has never been registered or licensed by the board or to an applicant for a new licensure or registration category.

“Applicant” is only new applications… not those who have one or are renewing one
SEC. 2. Section 2220.05 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2220.05. (a) In order to ensure that its resources are maximized for the protection of the public, the Medical Board of California shall prioritize its investigative and prosecutorial resources to ensure that physicians and surgeons representing the greatest threat of harm are identified and disciplined expeditiously. Cases involving any of the following allegations shall be handled on a priority basis, as follows, with the highest priority being given to cases in the first paragraph:

Most of this section already exists, but they are specifically adding medical cannabis to prioritize the Medical Board of California to begin cracking down on “pot docs.” The goal is to discourage physicians from recommending medical cannabis as freely as they have to date. They are looking at the Venice Beach type doctors who recommend to anyone with $40 and a sad story about how their back hurts.
(1) Gross negligence, incompetence, or repeated negligent acts that involve death or serious bodily injury to one or more patients, such that the physician and surgeon represents a danger to the public.

(2) Drug or alcohol abuse by a physician and surgeon involving death or serious bodily injury to a patient.

(3) Repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing, furnishing, or administering of controlled substances, or repeated acts of prescribing, dispensing, or furnishing of controlled substances without a good faith prior examination of the patient and medical reason therefor. However, in no event shall a physician and surgeon prescribing, furnishing, or administering controlled substances for intractable pain consistent with lawful prescribing, including, but not limited to, Sections 725, 2241.5, and 2241.6 of this code and Sections 11159.2 and 124961 of the Health and Safety Code, be prosecuted for excessive prescribing and prompt review of the applicability of these provisions shall be made in any complaint that may implicate these provisions.

(4) Repeated acts of clearly excessive recommending of cannabis to patients for medical purposes, or repeated acts of recommending cannabis to patients for medical purposes without a good faith prior examination of the patient and a medical reason for the recommendation.

This creates the slippery slope for what we currently see in the medical cannabis doctor industry. Pay close attention to the “medical reason” aspect of that last sentence, as the Medical Board could certainly begin to limit what they consider to be valid “medical reason” for recommending cannabis. Your evaluation will most certainly include a more thorough physical examination to the next time you visit your doc.
(5) Sexual misconduct with one or more patients during a course of treatment or an examination.

Interesting that they placed cannabis above sexual misconduct on the priority list. LOL.
(6) Practicing medicine while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

(b) The board may by regulation prioritize cases involving an allegation of conduct that is not described in subdivision (a). Those cases prioritized by regulation shall not be assigned a priority equal to or higher than the priorities established in subdivision (a).

(c) The Medical Board of California shall indicate in its annual report mandated by Section 2312 the number of temporary restraining orders, interim suspension orders, and disciplinary actions that are taken in each priority category specified in subdivisions (a) and (b).

SEC. 3. Section 2241.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2241.5. (a) A physician and surgeon may prescribe for, or dispense or administer to, a person under his or her treatment for a medical condition dangerous drugs or prescription controlled substances for the treatment of pain or a condition causing pain, including, but not limited to, intractable pain.

(b) No physician and surgeon shall be subject to disciplinary action for prescribing, dispensing, or administering dangerous drugs or prescription controlled substances in accordance with this section.

(c) This section shall not affect the power of the board to take any action described in Section 2227 against a physician and surgeon who does any of the following:

(1) Violates subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 2234 regarding gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, or incompetence.

(2) Violates Section 2241 regarding treatment of an addict.

(3) Violates Section 2242 or 2525.3 regarding performing an appropriate prior examination and the existence of a medical indication for prescribing, dispensing, or furnishing dangerous drugs or recommending medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis was added here to ensure the Board has the power to take action against pot docs that are not doing their due diligence in recommending cannabis. Pay attention to the “existence of a medical indication” part. That is an area that can be extremely subjective to whoever is doing the investigating.
(4) Violates Section 2242.1 regarding prescribing on the Internet.

(5) Fails to keep complete and accurate records of purchases and disposals of substances listed in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code) or controlled substances scheduled in the federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (21 U.S.C. Sec. 801 et seq.), or pursuant to the federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. A physician and surgeon shall keep records of his or her purchases and disposals of these controlled substances or dangerous drugs, including the date of purchase, the date and records of the sale or disposal of the drugs by the physician and surgeon, the name and address of the person receiving the drugs, and the reason for the disposal or the dispensing of the drugs to the person, and shall otherwise comply with all state recordkeeping requirements for controlled substances.

(6) Writes false or fictitious prescriptions for controlled substances listed in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act or scheduled in the federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970.

(7) Prescribes, administers, or dispenses in violation of this chapter, or in violation of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11150) or Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11210) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) A physician and surgeon shall exercise reasonable care in determining whether a particular patient or condition, or the complexity of a patient’s treatment, including, but not limited to, a current or recent pattern of drug abuse, requires consultation with, or referral to, a more qualified specialist.

(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the governing body of a hospital from taking disciplinary actions against a physician and surgeon pursuant to Sections 809.05, 809.4, and 809.5.

SEC. 4. Section 2242.1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

2242.1. (a) No person or entity may prescribe, dispense, or furnish, or cause to be prescribed, dispensed, or furnished, dangerous drugs or dangerous devices, as defined in Section 4022, on the Internet for delivery to any person in this state, without an appropriate prior examination and medical indication, except as authorized by Section 2242.

No Skype recommendations….
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a violation of this section may subject the person or entity that has committed the violation to either a fine of up to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per occurrence pursuant to a citation issued by the board or a civil penalty of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per occurrence.

(c) The Attorney General may bring an action to enforce this section and to collect the fines or civil penalties authorized by subdivision (b).

(d) For notifications made on and after January 1, 2002, the Franchise Tax Board, upon notification by the Attorney General or the board of a final judgment in an action brought under this section, shall subtract the amount of the fine or awarded civil penalties from any tax refunds or lottery winnings due to the person who is a defendant in the action using the offset authority under Section 12419.5 of the Government Code, as delegated by the Controller, and the processes as established by the Franchise Tax Board for this purpose. That amount shall be forwarded to the board for deposit in the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board of California.

(e) If the person or entity that is the subject of an action brought pursuant to this section is not a resident of this state, a violation of this section shall, if applicable, be reported to the person’s or entity’s appropriate professional licensing authority.

(f) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the board from commencing a disciplinary action against a physician and surgeon pursuant to Section 2242 or 2525.3.

SEC. 5. Article 25 (commencing with Section 2525) is added to Chapter 5 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

Article 25. Recommending Medical Cannabis

Laying down the law for doctors specializing in medical cannabis recommendations…
2525. (a) It is unlawful for a physician and surgeon who recommends cannabis to a patient for a medical purpose to accept, solicit, or offer any form of remuneration from or to a facility issued a state license pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 19300) of Division 8, if the physician and surgeon or his or her immediate family have a financial interest in that facility.

Your doctor, or his immediate family, cannot give to or take money from any licensed medical cannabis business, including dispensaries, cultivation manufacturing, etc.
(b) For the purposes of this section, “financial interest” shall have the same meaning as in Section 650.01.

(c) A violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) or by civil penalties of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) and shall constitute unprofessional conduct.

2525.1. The Medical Board of California shall consult with the California Marijuana Research Program, known as the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, authorized pursuant to Section 11362.9 of the Health and Safety Code, on developing and adopting medical guidelines for the appropriate administration and use of medical cannabis.

The Medical Board is charged with working with the CMCR at UC San Diego to “develop and adopt” guidelines for how cannabis is to be administered and used. Wanna bet they say that smoking weed is not a valid application?
2525.2. An individual who possesses a license in good standing to practice medicine or osteopathy issued by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California shall not recommend medical cannabis to a patient, unless that person is the patient’s attending physician, as defined by subdivision (a) of Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code.

So here we have the “Attending Physician” clause. While this has been present in SB 420 since its inception, it has not been readily enforced. This is why you see the “prioritization” for investigation by the Medical Board inserted above. They want it to be more heavily enforce…. More than sexual misconduct even apparently.
Here is that definition: "Attending physician" means an individual who possesses a license in good standing to practice medicine or osteopathy issued by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and who has taken responsibility for an aspect of the medical care, treatment, diagnosis, counseling, or referral of a patient and who has conducted a medical examination of that patient before recording in the patient's medical record the physician's assessment of whether the patient has a serious medical condition and whether the medical use of marijuana is appropriate.
As you can see, now that the Medical Board is charged with prioritizing this enforcement, it will be interesting to see what hoops pot docs try to jump through to verify they meet the definition of “Attending physician.” What does “taken responsibility” mean? How “serious” does the medical condition need to be? It is clear that the goal is to limit who will be able to qualify for medical cannabis and limit access to the market. You said you wanted medical!
2525.3. Recommending medical cannabis to a patient for a medical purpose without an appropriate prior examination and a medical indication constitutes unprofessional conduct.

Here we are with the “medical indication” again. Certainly subject to scrutiny for doctors who write a lot of recs.

2525.4. It is unprofessional conduct for any attending physician recommending medical cannabis to be employed by, or enter into any other agreement with, any person or entity dispensing medical cannabis.

It makes sense that docs shouldn’t have a vested interest in dispensaries, though many hold stocks in pharmaceutical companies I am sure.
2525.5. (a) A person shall not distribute any form of advertising for physician recommendations for medical cannabis in California unless the advertisement bears the following notice to consumers:

Apparently the sexy nurse advertising for doctors’ offices has pissed some folks off…..
NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 ensures that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use cannabis for medical purposes where medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person’s health would benefit from the use of medical cannabis. Recommendations must come from an attending physician as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code. Cannabis is a Schedule I drug according to the federal Controlled Substances Act. Activity related to cannabis use is subject to federal prosecution, regardless of the protections provided by state law.

Requiring doctor’s ads to include that attending physician language, likely because they plan on enforcing it more frequently
(b) Advertising for attending physician recommendations for medical cannabis shall meet all of the requirements in Section 651. Price advertising shall not be fraudulent, deceitful, or misleading, including statements or advertisements of bait, discounts, premiums, gifts, or statements of a similar nature.

Section 651 is a law spelling out that professionals cannot use advertising to mislead or deceive the public. This section is clearly aimed at limiting the race to the bottom in advertising we have seen from the pot doctor community. “$40 to be legal. Everyone qualifies!”
SEC. 6. Section 19302.1 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19302.1. (a) The Governor shall appoint a chief of the bureau, subject to confirmation by the Senate, at a salary to be fixed and determined by the director with the approval of the Director of Finance. The chief shall serve under the direction and supervision of the director and at the pleasure of the Governor.

You can call me “Chief.” LOL. This is going to be an oddly powerful, and at the same time huge pain in the ass, position. It will probably pay about $80k a year. The “Chief” will be the one who has to figure out how to get all of the asshole agencies to work together to implement the program. While I think I would be good at it, a lousy $80k a year will not be worth the incredible hassle, I am sure. I hear Dan Rush needs a new job though. I love the “at the pleasure of the Governor” part though… Jesus.
(b) Every power granted to or duty imposed upon the director under this chapter may be exercised or performed in the name of the director by a deputy or assistant director or by the chief, subject to conditions and limitations that the director may prescribe. In addition to every power granted or duty imposed with this chapter, the director shall have all other powers and duties generally applicable in relation to bureaus that are part of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The “director” they refer to is the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, a man named Awet Kidane. It is unclear what Kidane’s position is on cannabis in general, but what is completely clear is that the Department of Consumer Affairs already has its hands full, and has been thoroughly criticized by nurses and other professionals for the ineffectiveness of their ability to manage licensing effectively. The DCA oversees boards that certify or license about 2.5 million practitioners in over 240 occupations, including accountants, general contractors, landscapers, embalmers and cemetery workers, engineers, auto mechanics, veterinarians, doctors, dentists, optometrists and pharmacists. It is also reported that they are extremely ineffective at “disciplining licensees,” which I guess could be a good thing? LOL.
(c) The director may employ and appoint all employees necessary to properly administer the work of the bureau, in accordance with civil service laws and regulations.

So the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs will hire whoever it needs to make this thing work.
(d) The Department of Consumer Affairs shall have the sole authority to create, issue, renew, discipline, suspend, or revoke licenses for the transportation, storage unrelated to manufacturing activities, distribution, and sale of medical marijuana within the state and to collect fees in connection with activities the bureau regulates. The bureau may create licenses in addition to those identified in this chapter that the bureau deems necessary to effectuate its duties under this chapter.

So you got that? The Department of Consumer Affairs is in charge of creating, issuing, and dealing with ALL licenses that do not have to do with cultivation or manufacturing. It also gives them the power to create NEW license categories in addition to the 17 already laid out, if they deem necessary. Yay!
(e) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall administer the provisions of this chapter related to and associated with the cultivation of medical cannabis. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall have the authority to create, issue, and suspend or revoke cultivation licenses for violations of this chapter. The State Department of Public Health shall administer the provisions of this chapter related to and associated with the manufacturing and testing of medical cannabis.

The Department of Food and Agriculture will be in charge of cultivation. They run that shit now. Better hope they work well with the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Public health… but that si the “Chief’s” job to manage.
The Department of Public Health will be in charge of “manufacturing and testing.” So edible makers, concentrate producers, processors, and anyone who makes any product from cannabis will be under the regulation of the DPH. The also will be in charge of labs. This is going to get interesting for sure. The DPH is notorious for being evenly divided on medical cannabis, so giving them the power to regulate all finished products, as well as the labs serving as gatekeepers, should be where I anticipate a lot of the confusion and breakdowns in the system to occur. Don’t forget they have to also pat nice with DCA and DFA. What could go wrong? Get to work, Chief.

SEC. 7. Section 19319 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19319. (a) A qualified patient, as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code, who cultivates, possesses, stores, manufactures, or transports cannabis exclusively for his or her personal medical use but who does not provide, donate, sell, or distribute cannabis to any other person is not thereby engaged in commercial cannabis activity and is therefore exempt from the licensure requirements of this chapter.

You got that? No “providing” cannabis to any other person. Wanna give your buddy a nice sack? Sorry…. You provided it, and therefore engaged in commercial activity. Anything outside of your own exclusive medical use is commercial under this section. This should also outlaw most cannabis events where cannabis is provided by vendors for people to try, or where people share their medicine in a social setting. Fun, right?
(b) A primary caregiver who cultivates, possesses, stores, manufactures, transports, donates, or provides cannabis exclusively for the personal medical purposes of no more than five specified qualified patients for whom he or she is the primary caregiver within the meaning of Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code, but who does not receive remuneration for these activities except for compensation in full compliance with subdivision (c) of Section 11362.765 of the Health and Safety Code, is exempt from the licensure requirements of this chapter.

So you can be a caregiver for up to 5 people…. Fuck your collective if there are 6 or more of you. And to provide for these 5 people you must meet the definition of “Primary caregiver” and you can’t make any money beyond you actual costs.
Here is that definition: "Primary caregiver" means the individual, designated by a qualified patient or by a person with an identification card, who has consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health, or safety of that patient or person.

SEC. 8. Section 19320 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19320. (a) Licensing authorities administering this chapter may issue state licenses only to qualified applicants engaging in commercial cannabis activity pursuant to this chapter. Upon the date of implementation of regulations by the licensing authority, no person shall engage in commercial cannabis activity without possessing both a state license and a local permit, license, or other authorization. A licensee shall not commence activity under the authority of a state license until the applicant has obtained, in addition to the state license, a license or permit from the local jurisdiction in which he or she proposes to operate, following the requirements of the applicable local ordinance.

So here is where shit gets REAL interesting for those of us on the production side, and those who operate delivery collectives, and even some dispensaries. Since there are NO licenses statewide for cultivation, edibles, extractions, or any manufacturing of products EVERY BUSINESS who does not currently have a local license or permit will have to figure out how to convince your local City Council and Board of Supervisors to allow you to exist. For anyone who has worked with local municipalities in crafting these ordinances, you understand the incredible challenges we face here. It is incredibly time consuming and ripe for fraud and corruption. If you thought the recent revelations about people wearing wires for the FBI and Union officials taking bribes for access was eye-opening, you have not seen anything yet. Wait until every grower and hash maker in the state has to dig up their life savings from under the wood pile to bribe their local officials to make an ordinance to license them before these deadlines. Let the games begin.
(b) Revocation of a local license, permit, or other authorization shall terminate the ability of a medical cannabis business to operate within that local jurisdiction until the local jurisdiction reinstates or reissues the local license, permit, or other required authorization. Local authorities shall notify the bureau upon revocation of a local license. The bureau shall inform relevant licensing authorities.

If the City or County says you are fucked for any reason, the State also will agree you are fucked.
(c) Revocation of a state license shall terminate the ability of a medical cannabis licensee to operate within California until the licensing authority reinstates or reissues the state license. Each licensee shall obtain a separate license for each location where it engages in commercial medical cannabis activity. However, transporters only need to obtain licenses for each physical location where the licensee conducts business while not in transport, or any equipment that is not currently transporting medical cannabis or medical cannabis products, permanently resides.

Every business with multiple locations needs separate licenses for each location. Transporters do not need a license for everywhere they transport to though.
(d) In addition to the provisions of this chapter, local jurisdictions retain the power to assess fees and taxes, as applicable, on facilities that are licensed pursuant to this chapter and the business activities of those licensees.

On top of the fees and taxes the State will charge, locals can also add fees and taxes on, as well.
(e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to supersede or limit state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board and Department of Fish and Wildlife, from establishing fees to support their medical cannabis regulatory programs.

These other people can add their own fees on if you use water or fuck up the environment.
SEC. 9. Section 19322 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19322. (a) A person or entity shall not submit an application for a state license issued by the department pursuant to this chapter unless that person or entity has received a license, permit, or authorization by a local jurisdiction. An applicant for any type of state license issued pursuant to this chapter shall do all of the following:

Don’t even bother to apply until you have bought off, I mean lobbied, your local officials to license you first.
(1) Electronically submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal convictions and arrests, and information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal convictions and arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free on bail or on his or her own recognizance, pending trial or appeal.

Fingerprints for background checks…
(A) The Department of Justice shall provide a response to the licensing authority pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.

(B) The licensing authority shall request from the Department of Justice subsequent notification service, as provided pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for applicants.

(C) The Department of Justice shall charge the applicant a fee sufficient to cover the reasonable cost of processing the requests described in this paragraph.

You are paying for your background check….
(2) Provide documentation issued by the local jurisdiction in which the proposed business is operating certifying that the applicant is or will be in compliance with all local ordinances and regulations.

You need a note from your City or County to apply….
(3) Provide evidence of the legal right to occupy and use the proposed location. For an applicant seeking a cultivator, distributor, manufacturing, or dispensary license, provide a statement from the owner of real property or their agent where the cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, or dispensing commercial medical cannabis activities will occur, as proof to demonstrate the landowner has acknowledged and consented to permit cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, or dispensary activities to be conducted on the property by the tenant applicant.

You need to prove you have the right to operate at the location for which you are applying. You have to own it, ot have a note from your landlord.
(4) If the application is for a cultivator or a dispensary, provide evidence that the proposed location is located beyond at least a 600 foot radius from a school, as required by Section 11362.768 of the Health and Safety Code.

The 600 ft’ radius from schools rule… Interesting since the Feds have requested 1,000 feet and have threatened landlords for buildings even 900 plus feet from a school. No parks? No youth centers? Not complaining, but just wondering if it creates future issues with the Feds.
(5) Provide a statement, signed by the applicant under penalty of perjury, that the information provided is complete, true, and accurate.

Sign here, so we can charge you with a crime if you lie to us.
(6) (A) For an applicant with 20 or more employees, provide a statement that the applicant will enter into, or demonstrate that it has already entered into, and abide by the terms of a labor peace agreement.

Promise us that if you have more than 20 people working for you that you will allow your staff to be unionized if they want. I am not sure what other industries this is imposed upon. I like unions, but there is also some worries given the current situation and climate of medical cannabis. You also wonder if some groups will not hire that 20th person to avoid dealing with labor groups.
(B) For the purposes of this paragraph, “employee” does not include a supervisor.

So not management folks….
(C) For purposes of this paragraph, “supervisor” means an individual having authority, in the interest of the licensee, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibility to direct them or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if, in connection with the foregoing, the exercise of that authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature, but requires the use of independent judgment.

(7) Provide the applicant’s seller’s permit number issued pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or indicate that the applicant is currently applying for a seller’s permit.

The Board of Equalization wants their money….
(8) Provide any other information required by the licensing authority.

The old ‘and anything else we want” clause….
(9) For an applicant seeking a cultivation license, provide a statement declaring the applicant is an “agricultural employer,” as defined in the Alatorre-Zenovich-Dunlap-Berman Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 (Part 3.5 (commencing with Section 1140) of Division 2 of the Labor Code), to the extent not prohibited by law.

Cultivation licensees will need to adhere to the same laws as other ag businesses, which has a lot to do with migrant workers and whatnot.
(10) For an applicant seeking licensure as a testing laboratory, register with the State Department of Public Health and provide any information required by the State Department of Public Health.

We don’t really know about labs, so whatever the DPH says goes….
(11) Pay all applicable fees required for licensure by the licensing authority.

Give us the money we ask for….
(b) For applicants seeking licensure to cultivate, distribute, or manufacture medical cannabis, the application shall also include a detailed description of the applicant’s operating procedures for all of the following, as required by the licensing authority:

Operations manuals for everyone! This is what I have been doing for clients at Mickey Martin Consulting for many years. Every applicant will need to have these documents in order to submit with their application. It is a lot of work to develop these documents for every aspect of the cannabis industry, so I would suggest hiring a professional and getting it right the first time.
(1) Cultivation.

Write down every aspect of your cultivation operations…
(2) Extraction and infusion methods.

Write down every aspect of your extraction and infusion operations…
(3) The transportation process.

Write down every aspect of your transport process…
(4) Inventory procedures.

Write down every aspect of your inventory control process…
(5) Quality control procedures.

Write down every aspect of your quality control standards and protocols…
SEC. 10. Section 19323 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19323. (a) The licensing authority shall deny an application if either the applicant or the premises for which a state license is applied do not qualify for licensure under this chapter.

(b) The licensing authority may deny the application for licensure or renewal of a state license if any of the following conditions apply:

(1) Failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, including but not limited to, any requirement imposed to protect natural resources, instream flow, and water quality pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 19332.

Comply with everything we say or no license, including all environmental regulations.
(2) Conduct that constitutes grounds for denial of licensure pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 480) of Division 1.5.

You must also comply with the applicable protions of the general business and professions code for the State
(3) A local agency has notified the licensing authority that a licensee or applicant within its jurisdiction is in violation of state rules and regulation relating to commercial cannabis activities, and the licensing authority, through an investigation, has determined that the violation is grounds for termination or revocation of the license. The licensing authority shall have the authority to collect reasonable costs, as determined by the licensing authority, for investigation from the licensee or applicant.

You can be denied or revoked if your local overlords notify that you are in violation. They can also charge you for their investigation into the matter.
(4) The applicant has failed to provide information required by the licensing authority.

Remember the ‘and anything else we want to include” clause. You have to provide everything they ask for.
(5) The applicant or licensee has been convicted of an offense that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of the business or profession for which the application is made, except that if the licensing authority determines that the applicant or licensee is otherwise suitable to be issued a license and granting the license would not compromise public safety, the licensing authority shall conduct a thorough review of the nature of the crime, conviction, circumstances, and evidence of rehabilitation of the applicant, and shall evaluate the suitability of the applicant or licensee to be issued a license based on the evidence found through the review. In determining which offenses are substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of the business or profession for which the application is made, the licensing authority shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

So they can deny you if you have a conviction for an offense related to the license for which you are applying…. Which is handling a Schedule 1 controlled substance? They can determine that if the offense is relevant or not based on the following:
(A) A felony conviction for the illegal possession for sale, sale, manufacture, transportation, or cultivation of a controlled substance.

Felony drug conviction…. There is sort of an exception for weed felonies in a minute.
(B) A violent felony conviction, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code.

Violent felonies….
(C) A serious felony conviction, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code.

A “serious” felony conviction which is a barrage of dastardly shit you can read about here if you want (murder, mayhem, bank robbery, etc.)
(D) A felony c
onviction involving fraud, deceit, or embezzlement.

In my discussions with some attorney friends, we agreed that these terms could be considered pretty loosely if they wanted. Does a grower convicted of stealing power count?
(6) The applicant, or any of its officers, directors, or owners, is a licensed physician making patient recommendations for medical cannabis pursuant to Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code.

No doctors can get weed licenses….
(7) The applicant or any of its officers, directors, or owners has been subject to fines or penalties for cultivation or production of a controlled substance on public or private lands pursuant to Section 12025 or 12025.1 of the Fish and Game Code.

If you have been fined for violations from the Department of Fish and Game, such as diverting water and whatnot.
(8) The applicant, or any of its officers, directors, or owners, has been sanctioned by a licensing authority or a city, county, or city and county for unlicensed commercial medical cannabis activities or has had a license revoked under this chapter in the three years immediately preceding the date the application is filed with the licensing authority.

So if you have had legal issues, civil or criminal, with any local licensing authorities in the ppast 3 years, they can deny your application
(9) Failure to obtain and maintain a valid seller’s permit required pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

PAY THE B.O.E. goddamit!
SEC. 11. Section 19324 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19324. Upon the denial of any application for a license, the licensing authority shall notify the applicant in writing. Within 30 days of service of the notice, the applicant may file a written petition for a license with the licensing authority. Upon receipt of a timely filed petition, the licensing authority shall set the petition for hearing. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the director of each licensing authority shall have all the powers granted therein.

If you are denied you get a letter, and have 30 days to appeal if you think you got shafted.
SEC. 12. Section 19325 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

19325. An applicant shall not be denied a state license if the denial is based solely on any of the following:

(a) A conviction or act that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of the business or profession for which the application is made for which the applicant or licensee has obtained a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code.

So you can still get a license if what your conviction is for, IF you obtain a “certificate of rehabilitation.” What is that you ask? A California Certificate of Rehabilitation is part of the California record-clearing process. While it doesn't erase your criminal record, it is a court order that states that your criminal history is just that… a thing of the past. It essentially declares you a law abiding citizen.
So since my conviction is Federal, am I fucked because the USDOJ will never give me a certificate of rehabilitation? Maybe that ‘Chief” job is not looking so bad after all.

(b) A conviction that was subsequently dismissed pursuant to Section 1203.4, 1203.4a, or 1203.41 of the Penal Code.

This is a Petition for Relief or Dismissal, meaning you have had your felony reduced or conviction expunged by the courts.
SEC. 13. Article 6 (commencing with Section 19331) is added to Chapter 3.5 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

Article 6. Licensed Cultivation Sites

19331. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The United States Environmental Protection Agency has not established appropriate pesticide tolerances for, or permitted the registration and lawful use of, pesticides on cannabis crops intended for human consumption pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.).

The Feds have no regulations for weed…..
(b) The use of pesticides is not adequately regulated due to the omissions in federal law, and cannabis cultivated in California for California patients can and often does contain pesticide residues.

Because we have no regulations, weed does get sprayed with pesticides currently….
(c) Lawful California medical cannabis growers and caregivers urge the Department of Pesticide Regulation to provide guidance, in absence of federal guidance, on whether the pesticides currently used at most cannabis cultivation sites are actually safe for use on cannabis intended for human consumption.

Even the weed growers want guidance on what they can and cannot use to save their crops…
19332. (a) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall promulgate regulations governing the licensing of indoor and outdoor cultivation sites.

I wonder if this is the first time the CA Department of Food and Ag have attempted to regulate indoor farms using artificial lighting?
Indoor and Outdoor both….

(b) The Department of Pesticide Regulation, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, shall develop standards for the use of pesticides in cultivation, and maximum tolerances for pesticides and other foreign object residue in harvested cannabis.

These two departments will work together to create these pesticide standards in absence of Federal guidelines. It does not how they will come up with these arbitrary numbers, but I am sure it will be very scientific.
(c) The State Department of Public Health shall develop standards for the production and labeling of all edible medical cannabis products.

So the DPH will be in charge of the production best pratices and labeling for EDIBLES. I wonder iif we will get to spray on a fancy symbol on every piece of candy like they do in Colorado now. Whoooops. Did I say candy? My bad. I mean candy-like edible product.
(d) The Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board, shall ensure that individual and cumulative effects of water diversion and discharge associated with cultivation do not affect the instream flows needed for fish spawning, migration, and rearing, and the flows needed to maintain natural flow variability.

I dig the depth in which they went into the environmental aspects of cannabis cultivation. I am down for us following good environmental practices, in the same manner that wine grape growers and other farmers do. Let’s see if we are held to higher standards or the same.
(e) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall have the authority necessary for the implementation of the regulations it adopts pursuant to this chapter. The regulations shall do all of the following:

The DFA has the authority to do their job in the following:
(1) Provide that weighing or measuring devices used in connection with the sale or distribution of medical cannabis are required to meet standards equivalent to Division 5 (commencing with Section 12001).

Weights and Measures…. Same as the gas station or scales at the grocery store.
(2) Require that cannabis cultivation by licensees is conducted in accordance with state and local laws related to land conversion, grading, electricity usage, water usage, agricultural discharges, and similar matters. Nothing in this chapter, and no regulation adopted by the department, shall be construed to supersede or limit the authority of the State Water Resources Control Board, regional water quality control boards, or the Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement and enforce their statutory obligations or to adopt regulations to protect water quality, water supply, and natural resources.

The Department of Food and Agriculture is in charge of growers, but they also have to comply with Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Board.
(3) Establish procedures for the issuance and revocation of unique identifiers for activities associated with a cannabis cultivation license, pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19337). All cannabis shall be labeled with the unique identifier issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture.

Here is your cultivation tracking system…. Will they use RFD tags like Colorado, or is there a less costly and more effective method they will employ? Either way… all your plants will be identified and tracked by the DFA in some way.
(4) Prescribe standards, in consultation with the bureau, for the reporting of information as necessary related to unique identifiers, pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 19337).

What kind of reports go with these fancy trackers? How do they report to the Chief?
(f) The Department of Pesticide Regulation, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board, shall promulgate regulations that require that the application of pesticides or other pest control in connection with the indoor or outdoor cultivation of medical cannabis meets standards equivalent to Division 6 (commencing with Section 11401) of the Food and Agricultural Code and its implementing regulations.

Your pesticide use will have to conform to the existing pesticide regulations as set forth in current CA Code.
(g) State cultivator license types issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture include:

Here we go…. The different types of cultivation licenses. 10 of them. Count it. These are the licenses regulated under the Department of Food and Ag.
(1) Type 1, or “specialty outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting of less than or equal to 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises, or up to 50 mature plants on noncontiguous plots.

So 5,000 square feet of outdoor canopy (think 50ft x 100ft) or 50 mature plants….
(2) Type 1A, or “specialty indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting of less than or equal to 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises.

So 5,000 square feet of indoor canopy (think 50ft x 100ft)…. If you do two lights per tray, and a tray is 32 square feet, by my calculations you can have 312 lights?
(3) Type 1B, or “specialty mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, of less than or equal to 5,000 square feet of total canopy size on one premises.

So 5,000 square feet of indoor greenhouse canopy using supplemental lighting (think 50ft x 100ft)….
(4) Type 2, or “small outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

Outdoor gardens above 5,000 sq ft but below 10,000… so up to 100ft x 100ft of canopy. No plant limits.
(5) Type 2A, or “small indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

Indoor gardens above 5,000 sq. ft. in canopy up to 10,000 sq. ft of canopy. Like I said, 5,000 square feet could be 312 lights in normal trays, so this means up to 624 lights maybe? “small indoor.” Hahahahaha.
(6) Type 2B, or “small mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises.

Greenhouses using supplemental lighting for gardens over 5,000 sq ft, but below 10,000 sq ft of canopy.
(7) Type 3, or “outdoor,” for outdoor cultivation using no artificial lighting from 10,001 square feet to one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

An outdoor farm that is over 10,000 sq ft of canopy up to 1 acre! An acre is 43,560 in case you were wondering. Like 100 ft x 430 feet. Notice that the DFA will limit the amount of these fairly large farms.
(8) Type 3A, or “indoor,” for indoor cultivation using exclusively artificial lighting between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

So indoor spots over 10,000 sq ft of canopy (like 600 plus lights) up to 22,000 sq ft (about 1,300 plus lights). The DFA will also limit the amount of these licenses.
(9) Type 3B, or “mixed-light,” for cultivation using a combination of natural and supplemental artificial lighting at a maximum threshold to be determined by the licensing authority, between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet, inclusive, of total canopy size on one premises. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall limit the number of licenses allowed of this type.

Greenhouse facilities that use supplemental lighting with canopies over 10,000 sq ft, but under 22,000 sq ft. There will be limits on the amount of these licenses issued.
(10) Type 4, or “nursery,” for cultivation of medical cannabis solely as a nursery. Type 4 licensees may transport live plants.

How did the nurseries get off so easy? So they have no apparent canopy size, and can theoretically grow 1 million mothers. Not a bad deal.
19332.5. (a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Department of Food and Agriculture in conjunction with the bureau, shall make available a certified organic designation and organic certification program for medical marijuana, if permitted under federal law and the National Organic Program (Section 6517 of the federal Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et seq.)), and Article 7 (commencing with Section 110810) of Chapter 5 of Part 5 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code.

They are hoping by 2020 that the Feds will get their shit together, and the State will implement certified organic standards for weed. I do not think this is stating that it is required, but that there will be a program similar to organic standards for fruits and veggies.
(b) The bureau may establish appellations of origin for marijuana grown in California.

An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where things were grown, such as Napa Grown for wine, or say Mendo Grown for weed.

(c) It is unlawful for medical marijuana to be marketed, labeled, or sold as grown in a California county when the medical marijuana was not grown in that county.

So no calling your weed Humboldt’s finest if it was really grown in Trinity. You got that? Don’t be fronting like you got some Mendo Grown, when it is really from upper Lake County.
(d) It is unlawful to use the name of a California county in the labeling, marketing, or packaging of medical marijuana products unless the product was grown in that county.

Boy… they are really concerned about this. LOL. The Emerald Growers Association really wants to be like the Napa wine whores an awful lot. For me… I like good weed no matter where it was grown.
19333. An employee engaged in commercial cannabis cultivation activity shall be subject to Wage Order 4-2001 of the Industrial Welfare Commission.

So Wage Order 4-2001 sets forth standards for employees in Professional, Technical, Clerical, Mechanical and Similar Occupations. It is a $10 minimum wage and more regulations on working hours and whatnot. Enacted to protect mostly migrant workers from abuse..
SEC. 14. Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 19335) is added to Chapter 3.5 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

Article 7.5. Unique Identifier and Track and Trace Program

Here is your tracking program…..
19335. (a) The Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the bureau, shall establish a track and trace program for reporting the movement of medical marijuana items throughout the distribution chain that utilizes a unique identifier pursuant to Section 11362.777 of the Health and Safety Code and secure packaging and is capable of providing information that captures, at a minimum, all of the following:

Seed to sale tracking…. So a plant will be given a number and it will carry that number throughout its existence.

(1) The licensee receiving the product.

Who is getting the weed?
(2) The transaction date.

What day did you get the weed?
(3) The cultivator from which the product originates, including the associated unique identifier, pursuant to Section 11362.777 of the Health and Safety Code.

Who grew the weed and what is the ID number of this particular weed that they grew?
(b) (1) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall create an electronic database containing the electronic shipping manifests which shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

Once the weed is grown and processed for shipping it will need to be tracked through transport with a shipping manifest that will be entered into a State run database.
(A) The quantity, or weight, and variety of products shipped.

How much of what did you send out?
(B) The estimated times of departure and arrival.

When are you moving the weed? When are you leaving and when do you expect to get there?

(C) The quantity, or weight, and variety of products received.

How much of what showed up after transport?
(D) The actual time of departure and arrival.

When did you actually move the weed? When did you really leave and show up?
(E) A categorization of the product.

What category does it fit into?
(F) The license number and the unique identifier pursuant to Section 11362.777 of the Health and Safety Code issued by the licensing authority for all licensees involved in the shipping process, including cultivators, transporters, distributors, and dispensaries.

What are all the license numbers for everyone who touched the product?
(2) (A) The database shall be designed to flag irregularities for all licensing authorities in this chapter to investigate. All licensing authorities pursuant to this chapter may access the database and share information related to licensees under this chapter, including social security and individual taxpayer identifications notwithstanding Section 30.

The software will automatically detect any weird stuff, like large quantities, strange transport issues, and areas of perceived abuses in the system. Like how is this guy with a small cultivation license sending out more weed than this guy with the larger allowance?
(B) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall immediately inform the bureau upon the finding of an irregularity or suspicious finding related to a licensee, applicant, or commercial cannabis activity for investigatory purposes.

Any weirdness will be reported to the enforcement goons and they will be dispatched to come look through your stuff with a fine tooth comb.
(3) Licensing authorities and state and local agencies may, at any time, inspect shipments and request documentation for current inventory.

No due process… They have the right to look at whatever they want at any time, asshole.
(4) The bureau shall have 24-hour access to the electronic database administered by the Department of Food and Agriculture.

Any time. Anywhere. They can check you out.
(5) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall be authorized to enter into memoranda of understandings with licensing authorities for data sharing purposes, as deemed necessary by the Department of Food and Agriculture.

They can decide to share info with locals, or other authorities if deemed necessary.
(6) Information received and contained in records kept by the Department of Food and Agriculture or licensing authorities for the purposes of administering this section are confidential and shall not be disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), except as necessary for authorized employees of the State of California or any city, county, or city and county to perform official duties pursuant to this chapter or a local ordinance.

Assholes like me cannot just submit a Freedom of Information Act and get all of your business records; but local authorities can if they are investigating you.
(7) Upon the request of a state or local law enforcement agency, licensing authorities shall allow access to or provide information contained within the database to assist law enforcement in their duties and responsibilities pursuant to this chapter.

If a cop asks for your info you give that shit to them okay? No you don’t need to call your attorney. (rolls eyes)
19336. (a) Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 55121) of Part 30 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall apply with respect to the bureau’s collection of the fees, civil fines, and penalties imposed pursuant to this chapter.

You owe fees and the Board can require a security for those fees, fines, and penalties if they want to.
(b) Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 55381) of Part 30 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall apply with respect to the disclosure of information under this chapter.

They cannot disclose your financial information and payment matters to just anyone….
SEC. 15. Article 8 (commencing with Section 19337) is added to Chapter 3.5 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

Article 8. Licensed Transporters

How much does the package weigh? Transporting will become a big deal….
19337. (a) A licensee authorized to transport medical cannabis and medical cannabis products between licenses shall do so only as set forth in this chapter.

In order to move weed around the state you will need to be licensed to transport. Why is this important? Because people caught transporting quantities of weed who are not licensed will be fucked… that is why.

(b) Prior to transporting medical cannabis or medical cannabis products, a licensed transporter of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products shall do both of the following:

(1) Complete an electronic shipping manifest as prescribed by the licensing authority. The shipping manifest must include the unique identifier, pursuant to Section 11362.777 of the Health and Safety Code, issued by the Department of Food and Agriculture for the original cannabis product.

Enter a bunch of information into the database before you even pack the car. If their system is down, too bad. You are not going anywhere.

(2) Securely transmit the manifest to the bureau and the licensee that will receive the medical cannabis product. The bureau shall inform the Department of Food and Agriculture of information pertaining to commercial cannabis activity for the purpose of the track and trace program identified in Section 19335.

The manifest has to be submitted to the bureau and the person you are shipping it to.

(c) During transportation, the licensed transporter shall maintain a physical copy of the shipping manifest and make it available upon request to agents of the Department of Consumer Affairs and law enforcement officers.

You have to have a copy of the manifest with you while on the road. You have to present it to cops or DFA officials upon request.
(d) The licensee receiving the shipment shall maintain each electronic shipping manifest and shall make it available upon request to the Department of Consumer Affairs and any law enforcement officers.

Whoever is receiving the weed needs to keep a copy of the manifest and present it to DFA officials or cops if asked.
(e) Upon receipt of the transported shipment, the licensee receiving the shipment shall submit to the licensing agency a record verifying receipt of the shipment and the details of the shipment.

When you actually get the weed you have to let them know you got it, and what was in the package.
(f) Transporting, or arranging for or facilitating the transport of, medical cannabis or medical cannabis products in violation of this chapter is grounds for disciplinary action against the license.

Don’t follow the rules and you are in trouble, and could lose your license.
19338. (a) This chapter shall not be construed to authorize or permit a licensee to transport or cause to be transported cannabis or cannabis products outside the state, unless authorized by federal law.

For now, you cannot transport stuff to other states.
(b) A local jurisdiction shall not prevent transportation of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products on public roads by a licensee transporting medical cannabis or medical cannabis products in compliance with this chapter.

Even if you ban weed in your city or county, transporters are still allowed to drive through.

SEC. 16. Article 11 (commencing with Section 19348) is added to Chapter 3.5 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

Article 11. Taxation

Death and Taxes, of course….
19348. (a) (1) A county may impose a tax on the privilege of cultivating, dispensing, producing, processing, preparing, storing, providing, donating, selling, or distributing medical cannabis or medical cannabis products by a licensee r

A county can set a tax on your business….

(2) The board of supervisors shall specify in the ordinance proposing the tax the activities subject to the tax, the applicable rate or rates, the method of apportionment, if necessary, and the manner of collection of the tax. The tax may be imposed for general governmental purposes or for purposes specified in the ordinance by the board of supervisors.

They have to say what they are taxing you for, how they will be applied and apportioned, and how they will collect them.

(3) In addition to any other method of collection authorized by law, the board of supervisors may provide for the collection of the tax imposed pursuant to this section in the same manner, and subject to the same penalties and priority of lien, as other charges and taxes fixed and collected by the county. A tax imposed pursuant to this section is a tax and not a fee or special assessment. The board of supervisors shall specify whether the tax applies throughout the entire county or within the unincorporated area of the county.

They can enforce this tax like they do other taxes in the county, It is a tax and not a fee and they can decide if it applies to the cities in the County as well. Sounds fun.
(4) The tax authorized by this section may be imposed upon any or all of the activities set forth in paragraph (1), as specified in the ordinance, regardless of whether the activity is undertaken individually, collectively, or cooperatively, and regardless of whether the activity is for compensation or gratuitous, as determined by the board of supervisors.

They can tax all that is specified, and the taxes do not have to be actual cost related if they don’t want.

(b) A tax imposed pursuant to this section shall be subject to applicable voter approval requirements imposed by law.

Well at least they do not have total carte blanche. I still think all tax increase measures must be voted on, but it is usually pretty easy to pass taxes on weed unfortunately.

(c) This section is declaratory of existing law and does not limit or prohibit the levy or collection of any other fee, charge, or tax, or a license or service fee or charge upon, or related to, the activities set forth in subdivision (a) as otherwise provided by law. This section shall not be construed as a limitation upon the taxing authority of a county as provided by law.

They can charge you fees in addition to any taxes….
(d) This section shall not be construed to authorize a county to impose a sales or use tax in addition to the sales and use tax imposed under an ordinance conforming to the provisions of Sections 7202 and 7203 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

They have to follow the laws for adding additional taxes as laid out in CA Revenue and Tax Code
SEC. 17. The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

If one part is illegal the rest still stand….
SEC. 18. The Legislature finds and declares that Section 14 of this act, which adds Section 19335 to the Business and Professions Code, thereby imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:

They don’t have to disclose everything. Some of the info required is not meant for public consumption.

The limitation imposed under this act is necessary for purposes of compliance with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1320d et seq.), the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code), and the Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act (Article 6.6 (commencing with Section 791) of Part 2 of Division 1 of the Insurance Code).

A lot of info required are protected under medical, professional, and insurance information.
SEC. 19. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

Some of the program will not be reimbursed by the State where allowed under the constitution. Municipalities are still required to enforce state law and will not get extra money to do so.
However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Should some of the costs be outside of the scope of normal city or county business, they can be reimbursed.
SEC. 20. This act shall become operative only if Assembly Bill 266 and Assembly Bill 243 of the 2015–16 Session are enacted and take effect on or before January 1, 2016.

SB 643 only works if the other two bills are passed…. And they will pass.

#FUCKMICKEY
 

furrywall11

Member
Even if all this passes it doesn't go into effect until 2019, right?

I think what everyone wants to know is what are the chances of a dude who pays his taxes, has no felonies and, already runs a 5000 square foot outdoor weathering all this BS and still cultivating cannabis in a similar fashion to how he has been into 2020? What are the obstacles he faces and how can be start to prepare for them now?
 

SocalNugz

Member
Even if all this passes it doesn't go into effect until 2019, right?

I think what everyone wants to know is what are the chances of a dude who pays his taxes, has no felonies and, already runs a 5000 square foot outdoor weathering all this BS and still cultivating cannabis in a similar fashion to how he has been into 2020? What are the obstacles he faces and how can be start to prepare for them now?

It says on or before january 1st 2016 on #5

Some of this stuff isnt so bad but dear god the rest of it is FUCT.
This is gonna be a shit storm.
 

dddaver

Active member
Veteran
My question is: If these 3 bills went so far through the legislature as for them to now be on the governors desk and the only thing left now is for him to sign them before they all become law there, where was all this irate clamor while all this was happening?

I would think there has to be some popular support for all these radical changes to all of a sudden happen like this. Doesn't happen like that. Things like this can't just come out of the blue like this is portrayed here. How much of this complaining is self-induced and just sour grape complaining about a done deal that had ample time for all this to occur? Or did all that not happen like I assume it would have to?
 

mowood3479

Active member
Veteran
Wow... The mmj scene in Cali seems as it is on hospice care now...
Ud have to be a pretty corporate entity to even attempt to wade thru all that red tape.
Good luck to all my California people's.... That bill is some bullshit and the govt just took ur lunch $... And ur kids and ur wife's...
 

sureshot66

Active member
Veteran
what are these licenses going to cost? sales tax and then an arbitrary fee theyre going to tack on of course, shit theyres going to be a grip of new costs im wondering how the industry is going to share all of these new expenses
 

therevverend

Well-known member
Veteran
This is what legalization means. If you are selling wine or apples or any other agricultural product legally in California you have to deal with all this bullshit. Everyone thought legalization would mean they'd keep doing things the same, only without worrying about getting busted. Going legal means a helluva lot more than that. It means going mainstream, hiring an accountant, filing tons of paperwork, and paying off the local and state mafia, I mean government.
 

HUGE

Active member
Veteran
This is what legalization means. If you are selling wine or apples or any other agricultural product legally in California you have to deal with all this bullshit. Everyone thought legalization would mean they'd keep doing things the same, only without worrying about getting busted. Going legal means a helluva lot more than that. It means going mainstream, hiring an accountant, filing tons of paperwork, and paying off the local and state mafia, I mean government.

Yes this. It's amazing to see people freaking over this in cali now. The cali boys and Colorado boys used to be singing the "it won't happen here tune" now you see the steamroller we have faced in all the other "legal" sgates. Legalization brought stiffer penalties for growing than when it was illegal.
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
:yeahthats

Seems a lot of people are running around with their eyes wide shut!

(HUGE got in ahead of me. Hehe)
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
@HUGE,
Colorado & California are going about this issue in completely opposite directions!

While Colorado voters guaranteed themselves the Right to grow...

California is only granting a privilege, via legislation, that can be striken down at the whim of a politician.

California needs to focus on:
CCHI 2016
For now,

As well as work on a constitutional Amendment that would protect Californians Rights to grow their own med/rec cannabis.
 

ApolloAK

Member
Well I am FUCKED!!!!!!!!

The DPH refuses to do their job right now because of their religious beliefs, so how the fuck am I suppose to get them to process my license application? I tried to apply for a medical marijuana card and they said no. It's against their "religion" and they think it is morally wrong. Fuck these Kim Davis mother fuckers
 

Picarus

Member
it looks pretty good to me. If you are a home grower for yourself you don't have to change a thing. If you wholesale you can now claim it and sleep at night. What about banking guidelines!!?? How is this still not included?
 

Weird

3rd-Eye Jedi
Veteran
Yes this. It's amazing to see people freaking over this in cali now. The cali boys and Colorado boys used to be singing the "it won't happen here tune" now you see the steamroller we have faced in all the other "legal" sgates. Legalization brought stiffer penalties for growing than when it was illegal.


and boy did I get flamed for suggesting this is how it would go down.

Trying competing or going against big pharma
 

Chunkypigs

passing the gas
Veteran
what are these licenses going to cost? sales tax and then an arbitrary fee theyre going to tack on of course, shit theyres going to be a grip of new costs im wondering how the industry is going to share all of these new expenses

now that the industry is legally for profit and will have actual competition you will see retail prices drop to levels like CO, OR, WA.

caregiving is only legal @ cost, no pay for growers time.

they will gut the caregiving and medical home growing when they write the regs on full legalization next year.

how many flowering plants are they allowing?

plant counts are finished, new rules limit square footage.
this will get rolled out for medical home growers and caregivers next year when they regulate recreational.

The main purpose of these regs is to end the current diversion of mmj out of state.

My question is: If these 3 bills went so far through the legislature as for them to now be on the governors desk and the only thing left now is for him to sign them before they all become law there, where was all this irate clamor while all this was happening?

I would think there has to be some popular support for all these radical changes to all of a sudden happen like this. Doesn't happen like that. Things like this can't just come out of the blue like this is portrayed here. How much of this complaining is self-induced and just sour grape complaining about a done deal that had ample time for all this to occur? Or did all that not happen like I assume it would have to?

dude the big players in MMJ have been working on this with the lobbying organization like Normal, ASA, DPA, for years.

these bills have been fucked with for years and the only thing new is the pressure of 2016 recreational.

when they killed recreational last time in CA it was to preserve the current system for the people at the top of the medical food chain not the ballers in the hills.
They have plans for a new eradication system that will make CAMP look like a joke.

ALL the licensed grows will be on the helicopters GPS and what's happening currently with huge full sun and hoop houses will dry up in one season. look at Butte County this year and imagine if the full state was behind that effort.

folks will be growing in the trees again in 2017.

@HUGE,
Colorado & California are going about this issue in completely opposite directions!

While Colorado voters guaranteed themselves the Right to grow...

California is only granting a privilege, via legislation, that can be striken down at the whim of a politician.

California needs to focus on:
CCHI 2016
For now,

As well as work on a constitutional Amendment that would protect Californians Rights to grow their own med/rec cannabis.

the right to grow your own medical cannabis will exist but probably be limited to a 5x10 canopy per household.

this is the only way to avoid the troubles they are having in WA right now.

it looks pretty good to me. If you are a home grower for yourself you don't have to change a thing. If you wholesale you can now claim it and sleep at night. What about banking guidelines!!?? How is this still not included?

if you homegrown outside they will certainly add regs on a secure enclosure, canopy limits, etc.

If you currently wholesale and have many millions on hand for a license and facility you will still have to deal with the drastically reduced prices and the insane regulations.

probably nobody who posts here can pull that off but good growers will grab a few decent jobs as consultants or managers.

if you are making it in CA in the grey market today you should be looking at doing the same thing in RI or MI or Maine in 2017 if it's still possible in those states then. they are supposed to pass recreational also next year.

everything starts changing next year and the way it will look different from Butte County today is that they will be arresting and prosecuting not just cutting your plants in 2016.

prepare to comply, the shit gets real when you threaten corporate profits, Yo!
 
B

Bob Green

Motherfu......

Well hopefully a good recreational option passes for you guys in 2016.
 

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top