Arkansas Governor Signs 12 Marijuana Bills, More to Come

Governor Asa Hutchinson has signed 12 marijuana-related bills into law, and still has more on his desk to sign. The bills are to improve the medical marijuana program. For the last two weeks, the governor has been busy signing the approved measures into law.

Five more bills require the governor’s signature, according to Baxter Bulletin.  Before measures go to the Governor, when a change to an amendment is submitted, a 2/3 majority supporting measures in the House and Senate must be present.

Here is a quick breakdown of the bills signed into law:

• House Bill 1400 – renamed to Act 740 of the 91^st General Assembly – smoking marijuana anywhere that smoking tobacco is prohibited is also prohibited
• Act 640 – parents may not smoke marijuana in front of adolescents under age 14, pregnant women or where second-hand smoke may cause a “contact high”. Medical marijuana patients under age 21 cannot smoke their medicine, it must be ingested in another form
• Act 1369 – Marijuana revenues pay the state back for operations costs prior to any revenues being divided for the general fund or any other funding source
• Additional Act 640 inclusions – Requires the shape and flavor of marijuana-infused products to not be appealing to children. Advertising and artwork will also be controlled by the Marijuana Commission and ABC Division
• Act 638 – the marijuana program will be overseen and enforced by the Department of Finance and Administration (Alcoholic Beverage Control Division).
• Act 545 – Criminal background checks for marijuana business owners to be conducted by the FBI or Arkansas State Police only
• Marijuana transport licensing system – All marijuana transport licenses expire on June 30. Felony convictions are permissible as means for disqualification of employment. State can impose fines for non-compliance
• Act 4 – Moves marijuana regulations publication date to May 8
• Act 5 – Removes requirement for physicians to weigh pros and cons of a specific patient using medical marijuana. Keeps patient medical marijuana use records confidential on a state (not federal) level
• Act 438 – Physicians may not certify a patient for medical marijuana use using telemedicine
• Act 440 – if marijuana is rescheduled federally, the Arkansas Department of Health is permitted to do the same
• Act 479 – Members of the U.S. military or Arkansas National Guard prohibited from being a medical marijuana patient or caregiver
• Act 544 – Outlines which felony convictions constitute prevention of operating a marijuana dispensary or cultivation facility
• Act 587 – Temporary dispensary/cultivation license when a licensee is unable to maintain physical control over the business
• Act 593 – Employers can prohibit employee use (no tolerance policy, even on their own personal time)
• Act 594 – Dispensary/cultivation licenses must be renewed before July 1 as they expire on June 30
• Act 641 – requires business licenses to be given to individuals, not groups or business names. Transfer of licenses is permitted
• Act 642 – Determines a license application process