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<section article="gab" article_name="Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis" number="36-601" title_number="36" title_name="Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Medical Cannabis Compassionate Use Fund and Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Fund” means the Medical Cannabis Compassionate Use Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Medical Cannabis Compassionate Use Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Administration shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>administer the Fund; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, establish fees in an amount necessary to provide revenues for the purposes of the Fund.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Administration may not impose the fees established under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection on a licensed medical cannabis grower, processor, or dispensary before the grower, processor, or dispensary is an operational cannabis licensee under this title.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The purpose of the Fund is to provide access to cannabis for individuals enrolled in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program or in the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, including access to, at a reduced cost:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an assessment of the patient’s medical history and current medical condition; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>fees established under subsection (c)(1)(ii) of this section;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>fines assessed by the Administration under this title;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>interest earnings; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Fund shall be subject to an audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided for in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>The Comptroller shall pay out money from the Fund as directed by the Administration.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the General Fund of the State; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>any other special fund of the State.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>The Administration shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
