BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

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|                               |SB 848  (Vasconcellos)      |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|                               |                            |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|Hearing Date: 5/17/99          |Amended: As introduced      |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|Consultant: David              |Policy Vote: H&HS 6-2       |
|Maxwell-Jolly                  |                            |
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BILL SUMMARY: 

SB 848 requires the state to develop and implement a plan  
for the sale and affordable distribution of medicinal  
marijuana.

                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
  
Major Provisions    1999-2000     2000-01      2001-02      Fund  

Distribution system           unknown              General

STAFF COMMENTS:  

This bill may meet the criteria to be placed on the  
Suspense file.

Whether the bill exceeds the suspense limit depends on the  
level of state participation and how the word "affordable"  
is defined and operationalized.  It could mean that the  
cost of the drug would be subsidized for those would could  
not afford it.  While the bill does not specifically  
authorize it, the authority is broad enough to include the  
charging of fees to cover the cost of the state's role in  
the system.