LANSING, MI — Lawmakers early Friday approved changes to Michigan’s medical marijuana law.
The legislation adds clarification and restrictions to the voter-approved medical marijuana act of 2008 and got the required support from three-fourths of legislators. The changes are the result of many months of meetings with stakeholders and committee hearings with testimony from law enforcement officials, doctors, medical marijuana caregivers and patient advocates.
Starting around 4 a.m., two main bills got 29-9 and 30-8 votes in the Republican-led Senate. Shortly after, the GOP-controlled House voted 98-7 and 100-5 to send them to Gov. Rick Snyder.
Michael Komorn, an attorney and president of Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, told MLive last week that the bills are unnecessary, and that many issues with the law are already being handled in court.
HB 4834 requires a driver’s license or state ID card to obtain medical marijuana patient registration cards, extends the card’s expiration from one to two years, and attempts to address a backlog of card applications by calling for the state to contract with a private company to help process and issue registration cards.
It also would allow the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to verify the validity of registry cards to members of law enforcement, without disclosing more information than necessary.
HB 4851 adds conditions for a “bona fide physician-patient relationship,” which is required for medical marijuana cardholders.
It also clarifies how marijuana plants must be enclosed, and forbids anyone from becoming a caregiver (or provider of medical marijuana) if they’ve been convicted of a felony in the past 10 years or have ever been convicted of a felony involving illegal drugs or an assaultive crime.
That means some people who currently provide patients with medical marijuana will be excluded from doing so.
“There are people who may fall into that category who are taking care of a mother who has cancer or other patients who are sick,” Komorn said. “What are they going to do now?”
HB 4853 lays out sentencing guidelines and HB 4856 regulates the transportation of medical marijuana in cars.
Another bill headed to the governor specifies that medical marijuana expenses do not have to be covered by worker’s compensation or auto insurance benefits.
from mlive. Read the original article here
