SACRAMENTO >> Senator Mike McGuire, the author of SB 643 — The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act — announced late on Thursday night that an agreement has been reached on historic medical marijuana legislation between Governor Brown’s office, the State Senate and State Assembly.
Friday evening at press time the combined bill was still in debate.
The bill was just one of more than a hundred awaiting last minute approval, and it had to slog its way to the floor. On Friday SB 643 was formally amended with the new language in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and then headed to the Assembly floor for a vote and then back to the Senate for concurrence before Friday’s legislative deadline. The Assembly bills also faced amendment in the Senate Rules Committee before heading to the Senate floor for a vote and then back to the Assembly for concurrence.
The compromise package included three historic marijuana bills, headlined by McGuire’s SB 643 — legislation that has been two decades in the making. All three bills are incumbent on the approval and passage of the others before they can head to the Governor’s desk.
Under the package of legislation, every aspect of the commercial medical marijuana industry would be regulated and subject to licensure — both by the state and local authorities. The bills create a Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation under the Department of Consumer Affairs led by a Director who will be confirmed by the Senate. Cities and counties will be eligible for grants from the Marijuana Production and Environmental Mitigation Fund. These monies can be used for local law enforcement activities and environmental cleanup.
Key to SB 643 are provisions that will track and trace all marijuana products, and a provision that will once and for all make medical marijuana officially an agricultural product in California. Cultivators will have to abide by the same rules and regulations as all other agriculture, including water use, water discharge, pesticide and insecticide use and more. SB 643 also includes robust provisions governing indoor and outdoor cultivation standards for small, medium and large growers to ensure that best practices related to land conversion, grading and electricity usage are instituted. The bill makes sure that the environment is cared for and that the products are safe, while also mandating strict standards for transportation to ensure that no marijuana is diverted out of state for illegal use.
“These regulations are long overdue and I’m thrilled that we were able to work together to find common ground on these historic medical marijuana regulations for our state,” McGuire said. “While the bills still need formal approval by the legislature before going to the Governor, we are now closer than ever to securing a regulatory framework for this booming medical marijuana industry.”
Senator McGuire represents the North Coast of California, where the majority of marijuana is grown in the nation.
“Medical marijuana patients in California will be now fully protected,” Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Angeles) said. “This important bicameral legislation will provide much-needed structure to a multi-billion industry,” he added.
