Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the emergency clause and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2422, sub-§8-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 407, Pt. B, §9, is amended to read:
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§1, ¶F, as amended by PL 2011, c. 407, Pt. B, §16, is further amended to read:
F. Designate one primary caregiver or a registered dispensary to cultivate marijuana for the medical use of the patient, except that a hospice provider or a nursing facility that is designated as a primary caregiver by a patient and the staff of the provider or facility may not be designated to cultivate marijuana for the patient. The qualifying patient must designate the primary caregiver or registered dispensary to cultivate for the patient in a standardized written document, developed by the department, signed and dated by the qualifying patient, which must include a one-year expiration, the total number of mature plants the primary caregiver is designated to cultivate and the signed acknowledgment of the primary caregiver that the primary caregiver may be contacted to confirm the designation of the primary caregiver to cultivate for the patient and the number of mature plants to be cultivated and being cultivated for the patient or the signed acknowledgment of a person on behalf of the registered dispensary that the registered dispensary may be contacted to confirm the designation of the dispensary to cultivate for the patient and the number of mature plants to be cultivated and being cultivated for the patient; and
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§1, ¶G, as amended by PL 2011, c. 407, Pt. B, §16, is further amended to read:
G. Be in the presence or vicinity of the medical use of marijuana and assist any qualifying patient with using or administering marijuana . ; and
Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§1, ¶H is enacted to read:
H. Accept excess prepared marijuana from a primary caregiver in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph H if nothing of value is provided to the primary caregiver.
Sec. 5. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§2, ¶G, as amended by PL 2011, c. 407, Pt. B, §16, is further amended to read:
G. Prepare food as defined in section 2152, subsection 4 containing marijuana for medical use by a qualifying patient pursuant to section 2152, subsection 4-A and section 2167; and
Sec. 6. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§2, ¶H, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 407, Pt. B, §16, is amended to read:
H. For the purpose of disposing of excess prepared marijuana, transfer marijuana to a registered dispensary , a qualifying patient or another primary caregiver if nothing of value is received provided to the primary caregiver. A primary caregiver who transfers prepared marijuana pursuant to this paragraph does not by virtue of only that transfer qualify as a member of a collective . ; and
Sec. 7. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§2, ¶I is enacted to read:
I. Employ one person to assist in performing the duties of the primary caregiver.
Sec. 8. 22 MRSA §2423-A, sub-§3, ¶E is enacted to read:
E. A person who is authorized to cultivate marijuana under subsection 1 or 2 and who is employed by a primary caregiver pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph I may not cultivate that person's own marijuana in the location used for cultivation by the primary caregiver who employs that person.
Sec. 9. 22 MRSA §2425, sub-§1, ¶F, as amended by PL 2009, c. 631, §28 and affected by §51, is further amended to read:
F. If the qualifying patient names one or 2 primary caregivers, an indication of which person, if any, is designated to cultivate marijuana for the qualifying patient's medical use. Only one person may be primary caregiver, including an employee of that caregiver, is allowed to cultivate marijuana for a registered patient; and
Sec. 10. 22 MRSA §2425, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2009, c. 631, §31 and affected by §51, is further amended to read:
Sec. 11. 22 MRSA §2425, sub-§5, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. A, §21, is amended to read:
Sec. 12. Adoption of rules. The Department of Health and Human Services shall adopt rules within its medical use of marijuana program with regard to a person who is employed by a primary caregiver pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 2423-A, subsection 2, paragraph I to establish an annual registration fee of no less than $25 and no more than $50, to require a criminal history record check of the employee prior to registration and annually thereafter and to establish a criminal history record check fee of no less than $31 and no more than $60.’
This amendment does the following.
1. It removes from the bill the provision that allows primary caregivers to provide services to an unlimited number of patients.
2. It retains and clarifies the provision of the bill that allows a primary caregiver to employ one person to assist the primary caregiver in performing the duties of the primary caregiver.
3. It allows a primary caregiver, for the purposes of disposing of excess prepared marijuana, to transfer marijuana to a qualifying patient if nothing of value is provided to the primary caregiver and allows the patient to accept the excess prepared marijuana.
4. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules regarding employees of primary caregivers to establish an annual registration fee of no less than $25 and no more than $50, to require a criminal history record check prior to registration and annually thereafter and to establish a criminal history record check fee of no less than $31 and no more than $60.