Bill Text: CT HB06551 | 2017 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning A Study Of Consumer Access To Marijuana For Palliative Use.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-09 - File Number 732 [HB06551 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2017-HB06551-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Committee Bill No. 6551
January Session, 2017		LCO No. 6326
		*_____HB06551FIN___042817____*
Referred to Committee on FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING
Introduced by:
(FIN)

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF CONSUMER ACCESS TO MARIJUANA FOR PALLIATIVE USE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2017) (a) There is established a task force to study consumer access to marijuana for palliative use and evaluate whether such access is sufficient to satisfy the demand in the state and whether the prices charged to qualifying patients for such marijuana are reasonably related to the costs of producing and dispensing such marijuana. The study shall include, but not be limited to, (1) the process by which qualifying patients select a licensed dispensary, (2) the number of qualifying patients in the state and the number and locations of licensed dispensaries and licensed producers in the state, and whether such numbers and locations are sufficient and accessible to satisfy the demand for marijuana for palliative use in the state, (3) the prices charged to qualifying patients for marijuana for palliative use, (4) the operating expenses, administrative costs and other factors included in the calculation of the prices charged to qualifying patients, and (5) an evaluation of whether such prices are reasonable given the expenses, costs and factors under subdivision (4) of this subsection.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be an economist from the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford and one of whom shall be a licensed producer;

(2) Two members appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall have expertise in finance from the Yale School of Management and one of whom shall be a licensed dispensary;

(3) Two members appointed by the Republican president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a licensed producer and one of whom shall be a licensed dispensary;

(4) One member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a qualifying patient;

(5) The director of the Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division; and

(6) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's designee.

(c) (1) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than August 1, 2017. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(2) The speaker of the House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Republican president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than September 1, 2017.

(d) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to consumer protection shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(e) Not later than February 1, 2018, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to consumer protection. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or October 1, 2018, whichever is later.

(f) As used in this section, "qualifying patient", "licensed dispensary" and "licensed producer" have the same meanings as provided in section 21a-408 of the general statutes.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2017	New section

FIN

Joint Favorable