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STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
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S.P. 664 - L.D. 1669
An Act to Establish the Cannabis Advisory Council
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§2-J is enacted to read:
2-J.
Cannabis Cannabis Advisory Council Expenses Only 28-B MRSA
§115
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2430, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2021, c. 181, Pt. A, §2, is
further amended to read:
3. Uses of the fund. The fund may be used for expenses of the department to
administer this chapter, for reimbursement for expenses of the Cannabis Advisory Council
established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 2-J or for research in accordance with
subsection 5, as allocated by the Legislature.
Sec. 3. 28-B MRSA §115 is enacted to read:
§115. Cannabis Advisory Council
1. Appointment; composition. The Cannabis Advisory Council, referred to in this
section as "the council" and established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 2-J, consists
of 12 members who are appointed as follows:
A. Two members who are registrants under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act,
who are not also licensees under the Cannabis Legalization Act, of which at least one
member is a registered caregiver who cultivates cannabis for medical use outdoors,
appointed by the President of the Senate. In making the appointments under this
paragraph, the President of the Senate shall consider up to 6 recommendations from
associations representing the interests of registrants under the Maine Medical Use of
Cannabis Act;
B. Two members who are licensees under the Cannabis Legalization Act, who are not
also registrants under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act, of which at least one
member has a cultivation facility license, appointed by the Speaker of the House. In
making the appointments under this paragraph, the Speaker of the House shall consider
LAW WITHOUT
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up to 6 recommendations from associations representing the interests of the adult use
cannabis industry;
C. Two members who are registrants and licensees under both the Maine Medical Use
of Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Legalization Act, of which at least one member has
a manufacturing facility registration certificate or license, appointed jointly by the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. In making the appointments
under this paragraph, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall
consider up to 6 recommendations from associations representing the interests of the
cannabis industry;
D. One public member who is not a registrant under the Maine Medical Use of
Cannabis Act, a licensee under the Cannabis Legalization Act or a lobbyist or lobbyist
associate as defined in Title 3, section 312-A, subsections 10 and 10-A, respectively,
and who has knowledge of and interest in cannabis, appointed by the Speaker of the
House;
E. Two members who are municipal officials in municipalities that have ordinances
allowing for all registration types under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act and
all license types under the Cannabis Legalization Act, appointed by the director;
F. Two members who have a demonstrated knowledge of cannabis science, medicine
or research and, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree, appointed by the director. The
director shall make a reasonable effort to appoint a member who has at least 5 years of
relevant experience; and
G. One member who is a public health professional, appointed by the director.
To the extent practicable, the membership of the council must reflect a geographic
distribution across the State.
2. Cannabis business advocate. The cannabis business advocate established by
Public Law 2023, chapter 683 serves as an ex officio nonvoting member of the council.
3. Purpose. The council shall make recommendations to the director and the joint
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over cannabis matters
concerning:
A. How best to work with state agencies, municipal governments, the medical use
cannabis industry and adult use cannabis industry and citizen groups to make
improvements to and maintain the quality of the State's medical use cannabis industry
and adult use cannabis industry; and
B. Matters of interest to the State's medical use cannabis industry and adult use
cannabis industry, including, but not limited to, financial services, taxation, cannabis-
related research and development, environmental and public health protection,
cannabis policy in other states and federal legalization.
The council is responsible for bringing forward to the director and the joint standing
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over cannabis matters issues of concern
to the cannabis industry and for assisting in the dissemination of information to members
of the cannabis industry. The council may solicit and consider public comment during its
meetings.
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4. Terms. The term of a member appointed to the council is 3 years, except that a
vacancy during an unexpired term must be filled in the same manner as for the original
member for the unexpired portion of the member's term. A member may not serve more
than 2 consecutive terms.
5. Chair and vice-chair. The council shall elect a member of the council as chair and
a member as vice-chair at the first regular meeting of each year. The term of the chair and
vice-chair is one year.
6. Meetings; staffing. The council shall meet at least 4 times a year and, to the extent
practicable, at more than one location throughout the State. It may also meet at other times
at the call of the chair or the director. The office shall provide administrative and staff
support for the council within existing resources.
7. Compensation. Council members are entitled to reimbursement for expenses in
accordance with Title 5, chapter 379, which is paid in equal proportions from the Adult
Use Cannabis Regulatory Coordination Fund established in section 1102 and the Medical
Use of Cannabis Fund established in Title 22, section 2430.
Sec. 4. 28-B MRSA §1102, as amended by PL 2023, c. 679, Pt. B, §141, is further
amended to read:
§1102. Adult Use Cannabis Regulatory Coordination Fund
The Adult Use Cannabis Regulatory Coordination Fund, referred to in this section as
"the fund," is established as a dedicated, nonlapsing Other Special Revenue Funds account
in the office. The fund is administered and used by the director for the purposes of adopting
rules under this chapter and, for the purposes of implementing, administering and enforcing
this chapter and for the purpose of paying the reimbursement for expenses of the Cannabis
Advisory Council established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 2-J. The director may
expend money in the fund to enter into contracts with consultants and employ staff, as
determined necessary by the director, conduct meetings with stakeholders and conduct any
other activities related to the implementation, administration and enforcement of this
chapter.
Sec. 5. Cannabis Advisory Council; staggered terms. Notwithstanding the
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 28-B, section 115, subsection 4, of the initial members
appointed to the Cannabis Advisory Council pursuant to Title 28-B, section 115, subsection
1, the first appointments made pursuant to subsection 1, paragraphs A, B, E and F are for
one-year terms; the 2nd appointments made pursuant to subsection 1, paragraphs A, B, E
and F are for 2-year terms; and all other appointments are for 3-year terms. An initial term
of one year may not be considered a full term for the purposes of limiting the number of
terms for which a member may serve.
Sec. 6. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Adult Use Cannabis Regulatory Coordination Fund Z264
Initiative: Provides funding for reimbursement of expenses for Cannabis Advisory Council
members.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
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All Other $5,877 $5,877
__________ __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $5,877 $5,877
Medical Use of Cannabis Fund Z265
Initiative: Provides funding for reimbursement of expenses for Cannabis Advisory Council
members.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $5,877 $5,877
__________ __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $5,877 $5,877
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL
SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 2025-26 2026-27
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS $11,754 $11,754
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DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $11,754 $11,754