Under existing law, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is responsible for issuing licenses for medical cannabis facilities. The commission must comply with certain administrative procedures when denying, revoking, suspending, or restricting a license. This bill would delete a provision requiring the commission to hold an investigatory hearing after the denial of a license. This bill would provide that the denial or granting of a license is final and conclusive and any form of relief ordered by a court that would have the effect of preventing the commission from issuing a license or invalidating a license previously awarded is immediately appealable to the Alabama Supreme Court. Also under existing law, the commission may issue five integrated facility licenses, which allows for cultivation, processing, and dispensing of medical cannabis. This bill would increase the number of integrated facility licenses that may be granted to seven licenses. This bill would require the commission to hire a consultant to select from the pool of applicants that previously submitted an application for a license by December 31, 2022, those applicants that will be awarded a license based on the qualifications and procedures set forth in the medical cannabis laws. This bill would also require the commission to grant licenses to the applicants selected by the consultant and would provide that the selection determination made by the consultant is considered a final determination made by the commission for all legal purposes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 20-2A-56, 20-2A-57, 20-2A-68, 20-2A-67