Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

1   State of Arkansas
 2   94th General Assembly
 3   Regular Session, 2023                                                                SR 54
 4
 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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     *MAG158*                                                        4/3/2023 12:51:38 PM MAG158
                                                                                 SR54
 1        WHEREAS, seniors and veterans are participants in the program,
 2
 3   NOW THEREFORE,
 4   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
 5   STATE OF ARKANSAS:
 6
 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.
10
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.
14
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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