An Act to Prevent Illegal Cannabis Growing Operations in the State

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1455
S.P. 596 In Senate, April 3, 2025
An Act to Prevent Illegal Cannabis Growing Operations in the State
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Representative LAJOIE of Lewiston and
Senator: BENNETT of Oxford, Representatives: BOYER of Poland, BUNKER of Farmington,
FREDERICKS of Sanford, HASENFUS of Readfield, LOOKNER of Portland, MCINTYRE
of Lowell, NUTTING of Oakland.

Page 1 - 132LR1019(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2421-A, sub-§19, as enacted by PL 2023, c.679, Pt. A, §3, is
3 amended by enacting at the end a new first blocked paragraph to read:
4 Notwithstanding paragraphs A to C, "disqualifying drug offense" includes a conviction
5 related to the cultivation or distribution of cannabis that is not authorized in this chapter, in
6 the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter or in Title 28-B or in the rules adopted pursuant
7 to Title 28-B and that occurred on or after October 1, 2025.
8Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2423-F, sub-§8, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2019, c.
9 331, §17 and amended by PL 2021, c. 669, §5, is further amended by enacting at the end a
10 new first blocked paragraph to read:
11 The department may not register and issue a registration certificate to a facility or a
12 person authorized to engage in cannabis extraction if the physical location of the
13 facility or person is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement officers for
14 the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or was used by a person convicted of
15 illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.
16Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §2425-A, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 452, §12, is amended
17 to read:
182. Required registration. A caregiver, other than a caregiver operating under section
192423‑A, subsection 3, paragraph C, and an officer or director or assistant of a dispensary
20 or a caregiver, other than a caregiver operating under section 2423‑A, subsection 3,
21 paragraph C, shall obtain a registry identification card in accordance with subsections 2-A,
22 3, 4 and 5. A long-term care facility designated by a qualifying patient pursuant to section
232423‑A, subsection 1, paragraph F‑1, subparagraph (2) and a dispensary shall obtain a
24 registration certificate in accordance with subsections 2-A, 6, 7 and 8.
25Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §2425-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
262-A. Registration prohibited. The department may not register and issue a registry
27 identification card or a registration certificate to a person if the person is registering to
28 conduct activity under this chapter at a physical location that is under an investigation by
29 state or federal law enforcement officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of
30 cannabis or that was used by a person convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of
31 cannabis for those purposes.
32Sec. 5. 28-B MRSA §102-A, sub-§28, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 679, Pt. B, §3, is
33 amended by enacting at the end a new first blocked paragraph to read:
34 Notwithstanding paragraphs A and B, "disqualifying drug offense" includes a conviction
35 related to the cultivation or distribution of cannabis that is not authorized in this Title, in
36 the rules adopted pursuant to this Title or in the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act or in
37 the rules adopted pursuant to that Act and that occurred on or after October 1, 2025.
38Sec. 6. 28-B MRSA §202, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
394-A. Not under investigation; premises. The applicant may not propose to operate
40 licensed premises at a physical location that is under investigation by state or federal law
41 enforcement officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or that was used
42 by a person convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.
Page 2 - 132LR1019(01)
1SUMMARY
2 This bill amends the definition of "disqualifying drug offense" in the Maine Medical
3 Use of Cannabis Act and in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 28-B to provide that a
4 conviction that occurred after October 1, 2025 related to the cultivation or distribution of
5 cannabis that is not authorized in the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act or in Title 28-B
6 is a disqualifying drug offense.
7 It also provides that the Department of Administrative and Financial Services may not
8 register or issue a registration certificate for cannabis to a facility or a person if the physical
9 location of the facility or person is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement
10 officers for the illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or was used by a person
11 convicted of illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes. The Office
12 of Cannabis Policy within the department may not issue a license under the Cannabis
13 Legalization Act to an applicant proposing to operate licensed premises at a physical
14 location that is under investigation by state or federal law enforcement officers for the
15 illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis or that was used by a person convicted of
16 illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis for those purposes.
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