1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2023 SR 54
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5 By: Senator C. Penzo
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7 SENATE RESOLUTION
8 TO RECOGNIZE THAT APPLICATION AND RENEWAL FEES FOR
9 REGISTRY IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR QUALIFYING PATIENTS
10 CARDS MAY CAUSE FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR QUALIFYING
11 PATIENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
12 PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS AND MILITARY
13 VETERANS; AND TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
14 HEALTH PROMULGATE RULES TO ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL
15 BURDEN OF REGISTRY IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR
16 QUALIFYING PATIENTS.
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19 Subtitle
20 TO RECOGNIZE THAT FEES FOR REGISTRY
21 IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR QUALIFYING
22 PATIENTS CAUSE A FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR
23 PERSONS AND TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF
24 HEALTH PROMULGATE RULES TO EASE THE
25 FINANCIAL BURDEN.
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27 WHEREAS, the adoption of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of
28 2016, Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 98, established the Medical Marijuana
29 Program; and
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31 WHEREAS, the Department of Finance and Administration model predicted
32 thirty thousand (30,000) Arkansans would participate in the program; and
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34 WHEREAS, today, over ninety-two thousand (92,000) people hold active
35 registry identification cards for qualifying patients; and
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SR54
1 WHEREAS, seniors and veterans are participants in the program,
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3 NOW THEREFORE,
4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
5 STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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7 THAT the Department of Health promulgate a rule to extend the annual
8 renewal for registry identification cards for qualifying patients from one
9 (1) year to two (2) years without increasing the annual fee.
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11 THAT the Department of Health promulgate a rule that discounts the fee
12 for registry identification cards for qualifying patients by fifty percent
13 (50%) for seniors and veterans.
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15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption of this resolution, the Department
16 of Health is encouraged to expeditiously initiate rulemaking on this matter.
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