AN ACT Relating to authorizing licensed marijuana producers to sell marijuana plants and marijuana seeds to qualifying medical marijuana patients and designated providers, and to sell marijuana seeds to medical marijuana cooperatives; amending RCW 69.50.325 and 69.51A.250; and adding a new section to chapter 69.51A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 69.50.325 and 2016 c 170 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There shall be a marijuana producer's license regulated by the state liquor and cannabis board and subject to annual renewal. The licensee is authorized to produce: (a) Marijuana for sale at wholesale to marijuana processors and other marijuana producers ((and to produce)); (b) marijuana plants and seeds for sale to cooperatives as described under RCW 69.51A.250((, regulated by the state liquor and cannabis board and subject to annual renewal)); and (c) marijuana plants and seeds for sale to qualifying patients and designated providers as described under section 3 of this act. The production, possession, delivery, distribution, and sale of marijuana in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules adopted to implement and enforce it, by a validly licensed marijuana producer, shall not be a criminal or civil offense under Washington state law. Every marijuana producer's license shall be issued in the name of the applicant, shall specify the location at which the marijuana producer intends to operate, which must be within the state of Washington, and the holder thereof shall not allow any other person to use the license. The application fee for a marijuana producer's license shall be two hundred fifty dollars. The annual fee for issuance and renewal of a marijuana producer's license shall be one thousand dollars. A separate license shall be required for each location at which a marijuana producer intends to produce marijuana.

(2) There shall be a marijuana processor's license to process, package, and label marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products for sale at wholesale to marijuana processors and marijuana retailers, regulated by the state liquor and cannabis board and subject to annual renewal. The processing, packaging, possession, delivery, distribution, and sale of marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana concentrates in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and chapter 69.51A RCW and the rules adopted to implement and enforce these chapters, by a validly licensed marijuana processor, shall not be a criminal or civil offense under Washington state law. Every marijuana processor's license shall be issued in the name of the applicant, shall specify the location at which the licensee intends to operate, which must be within the state of Washington, and the holder thereof shall not allow any other person to use the license. The application fee for a marijuana processor's license shall be two hundred fifty dollars. The annual fee for issuance and renewal of a marijuana processor's license shall be one thousand dollars. A separate license shall be required for each location at which a marijuana processor intends to process marijuana.

(3) There shall be a marijuana retailer's license to sell marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products at retail in retail outlets, regulated by the state liquor and cannabis board and subject to annual renewal. The possession, delivery, distribution, and sale of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules adopted to implement and enforce it, by a validly licensed marijuana retailer, shall not be a criminal or civil offense under Washington state law. Every marijuana retailer's license shall be issued in the name of the applicant, shall specify the location of the retail outlet the licensee intends to operate, which must be within the state of Washington, and the holder thereof shall not allow any other person to use the license. The application fee for a marijuana retailer's license shall be two hundred fifty dollars. The annual fee for issuance and renewal of a marijuana retailer's license shall be one thousand dollars. A separate license shall be required for each location at which a marijuana retailer intends to sell marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, and marijuana-infused products.

Sec. 2.  RCW 69.51A.250 and 2016 c 170 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Qualifying patients or designated providers may form a cooperative and share responsibility for acquiring and supplying the resources needed to produce and process marijuana only for the medical use of members of the cooperative. No more than four qualifying patients or designated providers may become members of a cooperative under this section and all members must hold valid recognition cards. All members of the cooperative must be at least twenty-one years old. The designated provider of a qualifying patient who is under twenty-one years old may be a member of a cooperative on the qualifying patient's behalf. All plants grown in the cooperative must be purchased or cloned from a plant purchased from a licensed marijuana producer as defined in RCW 69.50.101. Cooperatives may also purchase marijuana seeds from a licensed marijuana producer.

(2) Qualifying patients and designated providers who wish to form a cooperative must register the location with the state liquor and cannabis board and this is the only location where cooperative members may grow or process marijuana. This registration must include the names of all participating members and copies of each participant's recognition card. Only qualifying patients or designated providers registered with the state liquor and cannabis board in association with the location may participate in growing or receive useable marijuana or marijuana-infused products grown at that location.

(3) No cooperative may be located in any of the following areas:

(a) Within one mile of a marijuana retailer;

(b) Within the smaller of either:

(i) One thousand feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, library, or any game arcade that admission to which is not restricted to persons aged twenty-one years or older; or

(ii) The area restricted by ordinance, if the cooperative is located in a city, county, or town that has passed an ordinance pursuant to RCW 69.50.331(8); or

(c) Where prohibited by a city, town, or county zoning provision.

(4) The state liquor and cannabis board must deny the registration of any cooperative if the location does not comply with the requirements set forth in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) If a qualifying patient or designated provider no longer participates in growing at the location, he or she must notify the state liquor and cannabis board within fifteen days of the date the qualifying patient or designated provider ceases participation. The state liquor and cannabis board must remove his or her name from connection to the cooperative. Additional qualifying patients or designated providers may not join the cooperative until sixty days have passed since the date on which the last qualifying patient or designated provider notifies the state liquor and cannabis board that he or she no longer participates in that cooperative.

(6) Qualifying patients or designated providers who participate in a cooperative under this section:

(a) May grow up to the total amount of plants for which each participating member is authorized on their recognition cards, up to a maximum of sixty plants. At the location, the qualifying patients or designated providers may possess the amount of useable marijuana that can be produced with the number of plants permitted under this subsection, but no more than seventy-two ounces;

(b) May only participate in one cooperative;

(c) May only grow plants in the cooperative and if he or she grows plants in the cooperative may not grow plants elsewhere;

(d) Must provide assistance in growing plants. A monetary contribution or donation is not to be considered assistance under this section. Participants must provide nonmonetary resources and labor in order to participate; and

(e) May not sell, donate, or otherwise provide marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products to a person who is not participating under this section.

(7) The location of the cooperative must be the domicile of one of the participants. Only one cooperative may be located per property tax parcel. A copy of each participant's recognition card must be kept at the location at all times.

(8) The state liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules to implement this section including:

(a) Any security requirements necessary to ensure the safety of the cooperative and to reduce the risk of diversion from the cooperative;

(b) A seed to sale traceability model that is similar to the seed to sale traceability model used by licensees that will allow the state liquor and cannabis board to track all marijuana grown in a cooperative.

(9) The state liquor and cannabis board or law enforcement may inspect a cooperative registered under this section to ensure members are in compliance with this section. The state liquor and cannabis board must adopt rules on reasonable inspection hours and reasons for inspections.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 69.51A RCW to read as follows:

Qualifying patients and designated providers may purchase marijuana plants or clones from a marijuana plant from a licensed marijuana producer as defined in RCW 69.50.101. Qualifying patients and designated providers may also purchase marijuana seeds from a licensed marijuana producer.

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