Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Appropriations Committee

HB 1415

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

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

Sponsors: Representatives Schmick and Cody; by request of Department of Health.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Ends use of the Health Professions Account for the administration of the Medical Marijuana Authorization Database.

  • Requires that fees collected for the Recognition Card issued by a medical marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement be deposited in the Dedicated Marijuana Account.

  • Specifies a minimum annual distribution from the Dedicated Marijuana Account to the Department of Health for the administration of the Medical Marijuana Authorization Database.

Hearing Date: 2/4/19

Staff: Linda Merelle (786-7092).

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, as well as civil penalties assessed and collected by the DOH must be deposited into this 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, license fees, penalties, and forfeitures from marijuana producers, processors, researchers, and retailers. Moneys from the account are distributed to agencies, local governments, and to 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 of Bill:

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

The DOH must receive an annual distribution of at least $1.2 million from the Dedicated Marijuana Account to administer the Database.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 2019.