Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 564
       
       
        
       By Senator Thurston
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00379-21                                            2021564__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to fees; amending s. 381.986, F.S.;
    3         requiring the Department of Health to impose initial
    4         application and biennial renewal fees for the
    5         licensing of medical marijuana retail facilities;
    6         providing a contingent effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (9) of section
   11  381.986, Florida Statutes, as amended by SB ____, 2021 Regular
   12  Session, is amended to read:
   13         381.986 Medical use of marijuana.—
   14         (9) MEDICAL MARIJUANA RETAIL FACILITIES.—The department
   15  shall license medical marijuana retail facilities to ensure
   16  reasonable statewide accessibility and availability as necessary
   17  for qualified patients registered in the medical marijuana use
   18  registry and who are issued a physician certification under this
   19  section. The department shall begin issuing medical marijuana
   20  retail facility licenses by August 1, 2021.
   21         (a) An applicant for licensure as a medical marijuana
   22  retail facility shall apply to the department on a form
   23  prescribed by the department and adopted in rule. The department
   24  shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54
   25  establishing a procedure for the issuance and biennial renewal
   26  of licenses. The department shall impose initial application and
   27  biennial renewal fees sufficient to cover the costs of
   28  implementing and administering this subsection. The department
   29  shall identify applicants with strong diversity plans reflecting
   30  this state’s commitment to diversity and it shall implement
   31  training programs and other educational programs to enable
   32  minority persons and minority business enterprises, as defined
   33  in s. 288.703, and veteran business enterprises, as defined in
   34  s. 295.187, to qualify for medical marijuana retail facility
   35  licensure and contracts. The department shall issue a license to
   36  an applicant if the applicant meets the requirements of this
   37  subsection and rules adopted under this subsection. The
   38  department shall renew the licensure of a medical marijuana
   39  retail facility biennially if the licensee meets the
   40  requirements of this subsection and rules adopted under this
   41  subsection. An individual may not be an applicant, owner,
   42  officer, board member, or manager on more than one application
   43  for licensure as a medical marijuana retail facility. An
   44  individual or entity may not be awarded more than one license as
   45  a medical marijuana retail facility. Each medical marijuana
   46  retail facility license is valid for one physical location. A
   47  medical marijuana treatment center may not be awarded a license
   48  to operate a medical marijuana retail facility.
   49         Section 2. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   50  SB ____ or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
   51  is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
   52  thereof and becomes a law.