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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1609H.P. 1063House of Representatives, April 15, 2025
An Act to Prevent the Participation of Individuals and Companies
Linked to Federally Recognized Criminal Organizations in the
Medical and Adult Use Cannabis Programs
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 11, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FREDERICKS of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook and
Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BOYER of Poland, HENDERSON of Rumford,
PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, SOBOLESKI of Phillips. Page 1 - 132LR1925(01)
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2 as repealed and replaced by PL 2019, c.
3 331, §17 and amended by PL 2021, c. 669, §5, is further amended by enacting a new first
4 blocked paragraph to read:
5 The department may not register and issue a registration certificate to a manufacturing
6 facility or a person authorized to engage in cannabis extraction if that person or the
7 physical location of the facility is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers
8 as being associated with organized crime within the 5 years prior to registering and
9 being issued a registration certificate pursuant to section 2425-A, subsection 2-A.
10 as enacted by PL 2017, c. 452, §12, is amended
11 to read:
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13 subsection 3, paragraph C, and an officer or director or assistant of a dispensary
14 or a caregiver, other than a caregiver operating under section subsection 3,
15 paragraph C, shall obtain a registry identification card in accordance with subsections 2-A,
16 3, 4 and 5. A long-term care facility designated by a qualifying patient pursuant to section
17 subsection 1, paragraph , subparagraph (2) and a dispensary shall obtain a
18 registration certificate in accordance with subsections 2-A, 6, 7 and 8.
19 is enacted to read:
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21 a registry identification card or a registration certificate to a person if:
22 A. The person is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being
23 associated with organized crime within the 5 years prior to the date a complete
24 application was received by the department; or
25 B. The person will conduct activity under this chapter at a physical location identified
26 by state or federal law enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime
27 within the 5 years prior to the date a complete application was received by the
28 department.
29 The department shall communicate regularly with state and federal law enforcement
30 officers regarding persons or physical locations known to be associated with organized
31 crime within the State.
32 is enacted to read:
33 A-1. The office shall revoke a registration for a period of 5 years, upon a finding of
34 any association within the 5 years before the finding between a person issued a registry
35 identification card or a registration certificate and organized crime as identified by state
36 or federal law enforcement officers pursuant to section 2425-A, subsection 2-A.
37 is enacted to read:
38 C. A registrant whose registration has been revoked pursuant to paragraph A-1 shall,
39 in addition to the requirements in paragraph B, cease all activity authorized under Title
40 28-B, chapter 1 until the revocation period ends and the registration is reauthorized.
41 is enacted to read: Page 2 - 132LR1925(01)
1 Prior to issuing or renewing an individual identification card to
2 a natural person who is a principal, the office shall verify with state or federal law
3 enforcement officers that the person is not associated with organized crime under section
4 115. A principal who is identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being
5 associated with organized crime under section 115 may not be issued or have renewed an
6 individual identification card. The office shall revoke an individual identification card
7 issued under this section for any principal who is identified by state or federal law
8 enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime under section 115. A
9 principal whose individual identification card is revoked under this subsection is prohibited
10 from reapplying for any license issued under this Title or for any registry identification
11 card or registration certificate issued under Title 22, chapter 558-C. The licensee must be
12 provided an opportunity to remove the principal or transfer the principal's ownership
13 interests pursuant to section 210.
14 is enacted to read:
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16 For the purposes of enforcing this chapter, the office shall communicate regularly with
17 state and federal law enforcement officers regarding persons or physical locations known
18 to be associated with organized crime within the State.
19 is enacted to read:
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21 identified by state or federal law enforcement officers as being associated with organized
22 crime under section 115 within the 5 years prior to application.
23 is enacted to read:
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25 to operate a licensed premises at a physical location identified by state or federal law
26 enforcement officers as being associated with organized crime under section 115 within
27 the last 5 years prior to application.
28 is enacted to read:
29 A-1. Upon a finding of any association within the 5 years before the finding between
30 a person or premises issued a license under this chapter and organized crime under
31 section 115 as identified by state or federal law enforcement officers, the office shall
32 revoke the license for a period of 5 years.
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34 This bill requires the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Office of
35 Cannabis Policy to deny a license under the Cannabis Legalization Act to any person
36 associated with organized crime as identified by state or federal law enforcement officers
37 within the 5 years prior to application. It requires the office to deny a license to any person
38 who operates a cannabis establishment at a physical location known to be associated with
39 organized crime within the 5 years before the finding of the association as identified by
40 state or federal law enforcement officers. It also requires the office to revoke, for a period
41 of 5 years, a license currently held by a licensee if the person or the physical location of a
42 licensed cannabis establishment is known to be associated with organized crime as
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43 identified by state or federal law enforcement officers. These requirements also apply to
44 registrations issued under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act.
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