PROVIDENCE – Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio and House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello planned to file legislation on Wednesday challenging Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s proposed regulations for compassion centers in the state.
The legislation is the latest move in a running dispute between the governor and legislative leaders on regulation of the medical-marijuana industry in the state.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Engel & Völkers Oceanside Leader | The DiSpirito…
Learn More
Raimondo in October filed a lawsuit in Superior Court challenging a provision of the fiscal 2020 state budget that requires legislative approval of marijuana and hemp regulations.
Ruggerio, D-Providence, and Mattiello, D-Cranston, said their legislation will repeal the budget language contested by the governor. But they said it will also come with clarifications as to what the executive branch will be able to regulate.
“The legislation introduced today fulfills the General Assembly’s pledge to repeal language contained in FY 2020 budget which required legislators to approve rules and regulations relating to the expansion of compassion center licenses. The General Assembly has done what it promised to do,” said Mattiello in a statement. “However, the fact remains that the Department of Business Regulation’s proposed regulations, which must comply with the legislation, represent a blatant overreach by the executive branch. Our bill clarifies the regulatory powers granted to the executive branch regarding the expansion of compassion center licenses.”
The legislation would prevent executive branch regulators from limiting centers based on geographical zones, preventing any center from growing its own supply of medical marijuana or limiting by number of plants seedlings or marijuana it may have, require a market demand for new compassion centers to cultivate, or to lower the limit on the number of patients that licensed primary caregivers are allowed to assist.
Ruggerio said the Raimondo administration’s attempt to implement such limits via regulations “represents an end-run around the legislature – a separation of powers violation even as the administration had filed a lawsuit accusing the assembly of the same thing. Our bill will put an end to all of it, making it clear where legislators have set the parameters, and letting the regulators regulate within them.”
Raimondo spokesman Josh Block issued a statement of the proposed legislation Wednesday evening saying,”We are glad our lawsuit got the attention of the General Assembly leaders. The Governor’s priority is ensuring a transparent process with a level playing field that guarantees equitable access for businesses and patients across Rhode Island. We look forward to reviewing the broader changes proposed today by the General Assembly.”
This article has been updated to include comment from the governor’s office.
