BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2679
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2679 (Cooley) - As Amended March 18, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires licensing authorities to report to the Bureau
of Medical Marijuana Regulation (Bureau) specified data related
to disciplinary actions and complaints, and authorizes the
California Marijuana Research Program within the University of
California (UC) to conduct studies to ascertain the effect of
marijuana (cannabis) on a person's motor skills.
AB 2679
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FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor costs to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to
report specified information (fee-supported special funds).
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The author states as California ramps up its
licensing program, proper accountability and oversight are
important to ensure state agencies are functioning efficiently
and that community input is being effectively considered and
tracked. This bill increases the reporting requirements to
enhance transparency. Additionally, this bill includes a
conforming change that updates the statutory mission of the
CMRP to align with a provision existing law that tasks the
program to study the impact cannabis has on motor skills.
2)Background. The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act
(Act) consisted of three separate bills which were enacted
together on Sept 11, 2015, to bring licensure and regulation
to the medical cannabis industry nearly 20 years after the
passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized the use of
medical cannabis. The bills created a comprehensive state
licensing system for medical cannabis. The Act went into
effect on January 1, 2016, although licensure requirements
will not go into effect until the regulatory entities
responsible for implementing the act pass necessary
regulations. The Act establishes the new Bureau under the
Department of Consumer Affairs, which is responsible for
licensing and regulating dispensaries, transporters, and
distributors. CDPH is responsible for licensing
manufacturers and testing laboratories, and CDFA is
responsible for licensing cultivators. The Act also required
the Bureau to contract with the CMRP, an existing research
AB 2679
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program housed at UC San Diego (now called the Center for
Medical Cannabis Research (Center)), to study motor skills
impairment. Pursuant to the Act, the Center is currently
developing a field test for cannabis intoxication.
Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916)
319-2081