HB66 Summary

• Authorizes medical use of cannabis for qualified patients diagnosed with serious medical conditions upon physician recommendation, exempting them from marijuana possession and cultivation prohibitions.

• Establishes a statewide identification card program administered by county health departments, requiring physician documentation and medical records verification, with cards valid for 2 years.

• Permits qualified patients to possess up to 8 ounces of dried cannabis and maintain up to 12 cannabis plants per patient, with allowances for higher amounts with physician recommendation.

• Creates three classes of medical cannabis cultivators (Class 1-3) and authorizes dispensing centers, delivery services, and product manufacturers as nonprofit entities, with licensing fees ranging from $2,500 to $15,000.

• Prohibits employment discrimination against qualified patients based on status or positive cannabis tests (except safety-sensitive positions), prevents property forfeiture, and reclassifies cannabis as a Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substance.