FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1415

C 220 L 19

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Modifying funding of the medical marijuana authorization database.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Schmick and Cody; by request of Department of Health).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Medical Marijuana Authorization Database.

Pursuant to legislation enacted in 2015, the Department of Health (DOH) developed and implemented the Medical Marijuana Authorization Database (Database). Information regarding a qualifying patient or his or her provider may be placed in the Database at a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement. If information regarding the patient or provider is placed in the Database, the patient or provider must be provided with a Recognition Card that contains certain identifiers, including a randomly generated and unique identifying number, a photograph, an effective date, and an expiration date. The DOH must charge a $1 fee for each initial and renewal Recognition Card to be collected by a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement. The fees collected are deposited into the Health Professions Account.

Health Professions Account.

The Health Professions Account is an appropriated account. Fees received by the DOH for health professions, including those for licenses, registration, certifications, renewals, and compact privileges, must be deposited into this account. Civil penalties assessed and collected by the DOH must also be deposited into the account.

Expenses incurred in carrying out licensing activities for health professions and for the implementation and administration of the Database are paid from the Health Professions Account.

Dedicated Marijuana Account.

The Dedicated Marijuana Account is an appropriated account. All moneys received by the Liquor and Cannabis Board from marijuana-related activities must be deposited in this account. These moneys include marijuana excise taxes collected from sales of marijuana and marijuana products, and license fees, penalties, and forfeitures from marijuana producers, processors, researchers, and retailers. Moneys from the account are distributed to agencies, local governments, and the Basic Health Plan Trust Account. At the end of each fiscal year, unappropriated amounts in the Dedicated Marijuana Account are transferred to the State General Fund.

Summary:

The Health Professions Account may no longer be used to provide funding for the administration of the Medical Marijuana Authorization Database. The fees collected for the Recognition Cards used by marijuana retailers must be deposited into the Dedicated Marijuana Account, and are no longer deposited into the Health Professions Account.

Votes on Final Passage: