Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB250 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R4692 JSC-D
2	2	By: Alvarado S.B. No. 250
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to authorizing the possession, use, cultivation,
8	8	distribution, transportation, and delivery of medical cannabis for
9	9	medical use by patients for whom a physician determines medical use
10	10	is the best available treatment for the patient's medical condition
11	11	or symptoms and the licensing of medical cannabis dispensing
12	12	organizations; authorizing fees.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is
15	15	amended by adding Chapter 487A to read as follows:
16	16	CHAPTER 487A. USE OF CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES
17	17	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
18	18	Sec. 487A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
19	19	(1) "Department" means the Department of Public
20	20	Safety.
21	21	(2) "Director" means the public safety director of the
22	22	department.
23	23	(3) "Dispensing organization" means an organization
24	24	licensed by the department to cultivate, process, and dispense
25	25	medical cannabis to a patient for whom medical use is recommended
26	26	under Chapter 169A, Occupations Code.
27	27	(4) "Medical cannabis" and "medical use" have the
28	28	meanings assigned by Section 169A.001, Occupations Code.
29	29	SUBCHAPTER B. DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT
30	30	Sec. 487A.051. DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT. The department shall
31	31	administer this chapter.
32	32	Sec. 487A.052. RULES. (a) The director shall adopt any
33	33	rules necessary for the administration and enforcement of this
34	34	chapter.
35	35	(b) The director shall adopt rules imposing fees under this
36	36	chapter in amounts sufficient to cover the cost of administering
37	37	this chapter.
38	38	Sec. 487A.053. LICENSING OF DISPENSING ORGANIZATIONS AND
39	39	REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS. (a) The
40	40	department shall:
41	41	(1) issue or renew a license under Subchapter C to
42	42	operate as a dispensing organization to each applicant who
43	43	satisfies the requirements established under this chapter for
44	44	licensure as a dispensing organization; and
45	45	(2) register directors, managers, and employees under
46	46	Subchapter D of each dispensing organization.
47	47	(b) Subject to Section 411.503, Government Code, the
48	48	department shall enforce compliance of license holders and
49	49	registrants and shall adopt procedures for suspending or revoking a
50	50	license or registration issued under this chapter and for renewing
51	51	a license or registration issued under this chapter.
52	52	Sec. 487A.054. MEDICAL USE REGISTRY. (a) The department
53	53	shall establish and maintain a secure online medical use registry
54	54	that contains:
55	55	(1) the name of each physician who registers as the
56	56	physician recommending medical use for a patient under Section
57	57	169A.003, Occupations Code, and the name and date of birth of the
58	58	patient; and
59	59	(2) the amount of medical cannabis dispensed to each
60	60	patient.
61	61	(b) The department shall ensure the registry:
62	62	(1) is designed to prevent more than one physician
63	63	from registering as the physician recommending medical use for a
64	64	single patient;
65	65	(2) is accessible to law enforcement agencies and
66	66	dispensing organizations for the purpose of verifying whether a
67	67	patient is one for whom medical use is recommended under Chapter
68	68	169A, Occupations Code; and
69	69	(3) allows a physician recommending medical use under
70	70	Chapter 169A, Occupations Code, to input safety and efficacy data
71	71	derived from the treatment of patients for whom medical use is
72	72	recommended.
73	73	SUBCHAPTER C. LICENSING TO OPERATE AS DISPENSING ORGANIZATION
74	74	Sec. 487A.101. LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not operate
75	75	as a dispensing organization without a license issued by the
76	76	department under this subchapter.
77	77	Sec. 487A.102. ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSE. An applicant for a
78	78	license to operate as a dispensing organization is eligible for the
79	79	license if:
80	80	(1) as determined by the department, the applicant
81	81	possesses:
82	82	(A) the technical and technological ability to
83	83	cultivate and produce medical cannabis;
84	84	(B) the ability to secure:
85	85	(i) the resources and personnel necessary
86	86	to operate as a dispensing organization; and
87	87	(ii) premises reasonably located to allow
88	88	patients listed on the medical use registry access to the
89	89	organization through existing infrastructure;
90	90	(C) the ability to maintain accountability for
91	91	the raw materials, the finished product, and any by-products used
92	92	or produced in the cultivation or production of medical cannabis to
93	93	prevent unlawful access to or unlawful diversion or possession of
94	94	those materials, products, or by-products; and
95	95	(D) the financial ability to maintain operations
96	96	for not less than two years from the date of application;
97	97	(2) each director, manager, or employee of the
98	98	applicant is registered under Subchapter D; and
99	99	(3) the applicant satisfies any additional criteria
100	100	determined by the director to be necessary to safely implement this
101	101	chapter.
102	102	Sec. 487A.103. APPLICATION. (a) A person may apply for an
103	103	initial or renewal license under this subchapter by submitting a
104	104	form prescribed by the department along with the application fee in
105	105	an amount set by the director.
106	106	(b) The application must include the name and address of the
107	107	applicant, the name and address of each of the applicant's
108	108	directors, managers, and employees, and any other information
109	109	considered necessary by the department to determine the applicant's
110	110	eligibility for the license.
111	111	Sec. 487A.104. ISSUANCE, RENEWAL, OR DENIAL OF LICENSE.
112	112	(a) The department shall issue or renew a license under this
113	113	subchapter only if:
114	114	(1) the department determines the applicant meets the
115	115	eligibility requirements described by Section 487A.102; and
116	116	(2) issuance or renewal of the license is necessary to
117	117	ensure reasonable statewide access to, and the availability of,
118	118	medical cannabis for patients registered in the medical use
119	119	registry for whom medical cannabis is recommended under Chapter
120	120	169A, Occupations Code.
121	121	(b) If the department denies the issuance or renewal of a
122	122	license under Subsection (a), the applicant is entitled to a
123	123	hearing. Chapter 2001, Government Code, applies to a proceeding
124	124	under this section.
125	125	(c) A license issued or renewed under this section expires
126	126	as determined by the department in accordance with Section 411.511,
127	127	Government Code.
128	128	Sec. 487A.105. CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK. (a) An
129	129	applicant for the issuance or renewal of a license under this
130	130	subchapter shall provide the department with the applicant's name
131	131	and the name of each of the applicant's directors, managers, and
132	132	employees.
133	133	(b) Before a dispensing organization under this subchapter
134	134	hires a manager or employee for the organization, the license
135	135	holder must provide the department with the name of the prospective
136	136	manager or employee. The license holder may not transfer the
137	137	license to another person before that prospective applicant and the
138	138	applicant's directors, managers, and employees pass a criminal
139	139	history background check and are registered as required by
140	140	Subchapter D.
141	141	(c) The department shall conduct a criminal history
142	142	background check on each individual whose name is provided to the
143	143	department under Subsection (a) or (b). The director by rule shall:
144	144	(1) require each individual whose name is provided to
145	145	the department under Subsection (a) or (b) to submit a complete set
146	146	of fingerprints to the department on a form prescribed by the
147	147	department for purposes of a criminal history background check
148	148	under this section; and
149	149	(2) establish criteria for determining whether an
150	150	individual passes the criminal history background check for the
151	151	purposes of this section.
152	152	(d) After conducting a criminal history background check
153	153	under this section, the department shall notify the relevant
154	154	applicant or organization and the individual who is the subject of
155	155	the criminal history background check as to whether the individual
156	156	passed the criminal history background check.
157	157	Sec. 487A.106. DUTY TO MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY. Each license
158	158	holder under this subchapter must maintain compliance at all times
159	159	with the eligibility requirements described by Section 487A.102.
160	160	Sec. 487A.107. DUTIES RELATING TO DISPENSING MEDICAL
161	161	CANNABIS. (a) Before dispensing medical cannabis to a person for
162	162	whom medical use is recommended under Chapter 169A, Occupations
163	163	Code, the dispensing organization must verify that the person is
164	164	listed as a patient in the medical use registry.
165	165	(b) After dispensing medical cannabis to a patient for whom
166	166	medical use is recommended under Chapter 169A, Occupations Code,
167	167	the dispensing organization shall record in the medical use
168	168	registry the form and quantity of the medical cannabis dispensed
169	169	and the date and time of dispensation.
170	170	Sec. 487A.108. LICENSE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION. (a) The
171	171	department may at any time suspend or revoke a license issued under
172	172	this subchapter if the department determines that the license
173	173	holder has not maintained the eligibility requirements described by
174	174	Section 487A.102 or has failed to comply with a duty imposed under
175	175	this chapter.
176	176	(b) The director shall give written notice to the license
177	177	holder of a license suspension or revocation under this section and
178	178	the grounds for the suspension or revocation. The notice must be
179	179	sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
180	180	(c) After suspending or revoking a license issued under this
181	181	subchapter, the director may seize or place under seal all medical
182	182	cannabis and drug paraphernalia owned or possessed by the
183	183	dispensing organization. If the director orders the revocation of
184	184	the license, a disposition may not be made of the seized or sealed
185	185	medical cannabis or drug paraphernalia until the time for
186	186	administrative appeal of the order has elapsed or until all appeals
187	187	have been concluded. When a revocation order becomes final, all
188	188	medical cannabis and drug paraphernalia may be forfeited to the
189	189	state as provided under Subchapter E, Chapter 481.
190	190	(d) Chapter 2001, Government Code, applies to a proceeding
191	191	under this section.
192	192	SUBCHAPTER D. REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS
193	193	Sec. 487A.151. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. (a) An individual
194	194	who is a director, manager, or employee of a dispensing
195	195	organization must apply for and obtain a registration under this
196	196	section.
197	197	(b) An applicant for a registration under this section must:
198	198	(1) be at least 18 years of age;
199	199	(2) submit a complete set of fingerprints to the
200	200	department in the manner required by department rule; and
201	201	(3) pass a fingerprint-based criminal history
202	202	background check as required by Section 487A.105.
203	203	(c) A registration expires on the second anniversary of the
204	204	date of the registration's issuance, unless suspended or revoked
205	205	under rules adopted under this chapter.
206	206	SUBCHAPTER E. DUTIES OF COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
207	207	Sec. 487A.201. COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES MAY NOT PROHIBIT
208	208	MEDICAL CANNABIS. A municipality, county, or other political
209	209	subdivision may not enact, adopt, or enforce a rule, ordinance,
210	210	order, resolution, or other regulation that prohibits the
211	211	cultivation, production, dispensing, or possession of medical
212	212	cannabis, as authorized by this chapter.
213	213	SECTION 2. Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code, is
214	214	amended by adding Chapter 169A to read as follows:
215	215	CHAPTER 169A. AUTHORITY TO RECOMMEND MEDICAL CANNABIS TO CERTAIN
216	216	PATIENTS
217	217	Sec. 169A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
218	218	(1) "Department" means the Department of Public
219	219	Safety.
220	220	(2) "Medical cannabis" means the plant Cannabis sativa
221	221	L., and any part of that plant or any compound, manufacture, salt,
222	222	derivative, mixture, preparation, resin, or oil of that plant.
223	223	(3) "Medical use" means the ingestion by a means of
224	224	administration other than by smoking of a recommended amount of
225	225	medical cannabis by a person for whom medical use is recommended
226	226	under this chapter.
227	227	(4) "Smoking" means burning or igniting a substance
228	228	and inhaling the smoke.
229	229	Sec. 169A.002. RECOMMENDATION OF MEDICAL USE. (a) A
230	230	physician may recommend medical use in accordance with this chapter
231	231	to any patient for the treatment of the patient's medical condition
232	232	or symptoms if, in the physician's medical judgment, medical use is
233	233	the best available treatment for that patient's medical condition
234	234	or symptoms.
235	235	(b) A physician who recommends medical use for a patient
236	236	must:
237	237	(1) comply with the registration requirements of
238	238	Section 169A.003; and
239	239	(2) certify to the department that the physician has
240	240	determined that:
241	241	(A) medical use is the best available treatment
242	242	for the patient's medical condition or symptoms; and
243	243	(B) the risk of medical use by the patient is
244	244	reasonable in light of the potential benefit for the patient.
245	245	Sec. 169A.003. RECOMMENDING PHYSICIAN REGISTRATION. (a)
246	246	Before a physician may recommend medical use for a patient under
247	247	this chapter, the physician must register as the recommending
248	248	physician for that patient in the medical use registry maintained
249	249	by the department under Section 487A.054, Health and Safety Code.
250	250	The physician's registration must indicate:
251	251	(1) the physician's name; and
252	252	(2) the patient's name and date of birth.
253	253	(b) The department may not publish the name of a physician
254	254	registered under this section unless permission is expressly
255	255	granted by the physician.
256	256	Sec. 169A.004. PATIENT TREATMENT PLAN. A physician who
257	257	recommends medical use for a patient under this chapter must
258	258	maintain a patient treatment plan that indicates:
259	259	(1) a plan for monitoring the patient's symptoms; and
260	260	(2) a plan for monitoring indicators of tolerance or
261	261	reaction to medical cannabis.
262	262	SECTION 3. Section 122.103(c), Agriculture Code, is amended
263	263	to read as follows:
264	264	(c) A qualified applicant who along with the application
265	265	submits proof to the department that the applicant holds a license
266	266	under Chapter 487 or 487A, Health and Safety Code, is not required
267	267	to pay an application fee, and the department shall issue the
268	268	license to the applicant within the time prescribed by Subsection
269	269	(b).
270	270	SECTION 4. Section 161.001(c), Family Code, is amended to
271	271	read as follows:
272	272	(c) A court may not make a finding under Subsection (b) and
273	273	order termination of the parent-child relationship based on
274	274	evidence that the parent:
275	275	(1) homeschooled the child;
276	276	(2) is economically disadvantaged;
277	277	(3) has been charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor
278	278	offense other than:
279	279	(A) an offense under Title 5, Penal Code;
280	280	(B) an offense under Title 6, Penal Code; or
281	281	(C) an offense that involves family violence, as
282	282	defined by Section 71.004 of this code;
283	283	(4) provided or administered low-THC cannabis to a
284	284	child for whom the low-THC cannabis was prescribed under Chapter
285	285	169, Occupations Code; [or]
286	286	(5) provided or administered medical cannabis to a
287	287	child for whom medical cannabis was recommended under Chapter 169A,
288	288	Occupations Code; or
289	289	(6) declined immunization for the child for reasons of
290	290	conscience, including a religious belief.
291	291	SECTION 5. Section 262.116(a), Family Code, is amended to
292	292	read as follows:
293	293	(a) The Department of Family and Protective Services may not
294	294	take possession of a child under this subchapter based on evidence
295	295	that the parent:
296	296	(1) homeschooled the child;
297	297	(2) is economically disadvantaged;
298	298	(3) has been charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor
299	299	offense other than:
300	300	(A) an offense under Title 5, Penal Code;
301	301	(B) an offense under Title 6, Penal Code; or
302	302	(C) an offense that involves family violence, as
303	303	defined by Section 71.004 of this code;
304	304	(4) provided or administered low-THC cannabis to a
305	305	child for whom the low-THC cannabis was prescribed under Chapter
306	306	169, Occupations Code; [or]
307	307	(5) provided or administered medical cannabis to a
308	308	child for whom medical cannabis was recommended under Chapter 169A,
309	309	Occupations Code; or
310	310	(6) declined immunization for the child for reasons of
311	311	conscience, including a religious belief.
312	312	SECTION 6. Section 411.0891(a), Government Code, is amended
313	313	to read as follows:
314	314	(a) Subject to Section 411.087, the department is
315	315	authorized to obtain and use criminal history record information
316	316	maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the department
317	317	that relates to a person who:
318	318	(1) is an applicant for or holds a registration issued
319	319	by the director under Subchapter C, Chapter 481, Health and Safety
320	320	Code, that authorizes the person to manufacture, distribute,
321	321	analyze, or conduct research with a controlled substance;
322	322	(2) is an applicant for or holds a registration issued
323	323	by the department under Chapter 487 or 487A, Health and Safety Code,
324	324	to be a director, manager, or employee of a dispensing
325	325	organization, as defined by Section 487.001 or 487A.001, Health and
326	326	Safety Code;
327	327	(3) is an applicant for or holds an authorization
328	328	issued by the department under Section 521.2476, Transportation
329	329	Code, to do business in this state as a vendor of ignition interlock
330	330	devices;
331	331	(4) is an applicant for or holds certification by the
332	332	department as an inspection station or an inspector under
333	333	Subchapter G, Chapter 548, Transportation Code, holds an inspection
334	334	station or inspector certificate issued under that subchapter, or
335	335	is the owner of an inspection station operating under that chapter;
336	336	or
337	337	(5) is an applicant for or holds a certificate of
338	338	registration issued by the department under Chapter 1956,
339	339	Occupations Code, to act as a metal recycling entity.
340	340	SECTION 7. Section 411.502, Government Code, is amended to
341	341	read as follows:
342	342	Sec. 411.502. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies to a
343	343	program, and persons regulated under the program, administered by
344	344	the department under the following laws, including rules adopted
345	345	under those laws:
346	346	(1) Section 411.0625;
347	347	(2) Chapter 487, Health and Safety Code;
348	348	(3) Chapter 487A, Health and Safety Code;
349	349	(4) Chapter 1702, Occupations Code;
350	350	(5) [(4)] Chapter 1956, Occupations Code;
351	351	(6) [(5)] Section 521.2476, Transportation Code; and
352	352	(7) [(6)] Subchapter G, Chapter 548, Transportation
353	353	Code.
354	354	SECTION 8. Section 443.202(a), Health and Safety Code, is
355	355	amended to read as follows:
356	356	(a) This section does not apply to low-THC cannabis
357	357	regulated under Chapter 487 or medical cannabis regulated under
358	358	Chapter 487A.
359	359	SECTION 9. Section 443.2025(a), Health and Safety Code, is
360	360	amended to read as follows:
361	361	(a) This section does not apply to low-THC cannabis
362	362	regulated under Chapter 487 or medical cannabis regulated under
363	363	Chapter 487A.
364	364	SECTION 10. Section 481.062(a), Health and Safety Code, is
365	365	amended to read as follows:
366	366	(a) The following persons may possess a controlled
367	367	substance under this chapter without registering with the federal
368	368	[Federal] Drug Enforcement Administration:
369	369	(1) an agent or employee of a manufacturer,
370	370	distributor, analyzer, or dispenser of the controlled substance who
371	371	is registered with the federal [Federal] Drug Enforcement
372	372	Administration and acting in the usual course of business or
373	373	employment;
374	374	(2) a common or contract carrier, a warehouseman, or
375	375	an employee of a carrier or warehouseman whose possession of the
376	376	controlled substance is in the usual course of business or
377	377	employment;
378	378	(3) an ultimate user or a person in possession of the
379	379	controlled substance under a lawful order of a practitioner or in
380	380	lawful possession of the controlled substance if it is listed in
381	381	Schedule V;
382	382	(4) an officer or employee of this state, another
383	383	state, a political subdivision of this state or another state, or
384	384	the United States who is lawfully engaged in the enforcement of a
385	385	law relating to a controlled substance or drug or to a customs law
386	386	and authorized to possess the controlled substance in the discharge
387	387	of the person's official duties;
388	388	(5) if the substance is tetrahydrocannabinol or one of
389	389	its derivatives:
390	390	(A) a Department of State Health Services
391	391	official, a medical school researcher, or a research program
392	392	participant possessing the substance as authorized under
393	393	Subchapter G; or
394	394	(B) a practitioner or an ultimate user possessing
395	395	the substance as a participant in a federally approved therapeutic
396	396	research program that the commissioner has reviewed and found, in
397	397	writing, to contain a medically responsible research protocol; [or]
398	398	(6) a dispensing organization licensed under Chapter
399	399	487 that possesses low-THC cannabis; or
400	400	(7) a dispensing organization licensed under Chapter
401	401	487A that possesses medical cannabis.
402	402	SECTION 11. Sections 481.111(e) and (f), Health and Safety
403	403	Code, are amended to read as follows:
404	404	(e) Sections 481.120, 481.121, 481.122, and 481.125 do not
405	405	apply to a person who engages in the acquisition, possession,
406	406	production, cultivation, delivery, or disposal of a raw material
407	407	used in or by-product created by the production or cultivation of
408	408	low-THC cannabis or medical cannabis if the person:
409	409	(1) for an offense involving possession only of
410	410	marihuana or drug paraphernalia, is a patient for whom low-THC
411	411	cannabis is prescribed under Chapter 169, Occupations Code, or the
412	412	patient's legal guardian, and the person possesses low-THC cannabis
413	413	obtained under a valid prescription from a dispensing organization;
414	414	[or]
415	415	(2) is a director, manager, or employee of a low-THC
416	416	cannabis dispensing organization and the person, solely in
417	417	performing the person's regular duties at the organization,
418	418	acquires, possesses, produces, cultivates, dispenses, or disposes
419	419	of:
420	420	(A) in reasonable quantities, any low-THC
421	421	cannabis or raw materials used in or by-products created by the
422	422	production or cultivation of low-THC cannabis; or
423	423	(B) any drug paraphernalia used in the
424	424	acquisition, possession, production, cultivation, delivery, or
425	425	disposal of low-THC cannabis;
426	426	(3) for an offense involving possession only of
427	427	marihuana or drug paraphernalia, is a patient for whom medical use
428	428	is recommended under Chapter 169A, Occupations Code, or the
429	429	patient's legal guardian; or
430	430	(4) is a director, manager, or employee of a medical
431	431	cannabis dispensing organization and the person, solely in
432	432	performing the person's regular duties at the organization,
433	433	acquires, possesses, produces, cultivates, dispenses, or disposes
434	434	of:
435	435	(A) in reasonable quantities, any medical
436	436	cannabis or raw materials used in or by-products created by the
437	437	production or cultivation of medical cannabis; or
438	438	(B) any drug paraphernalia used in the
439	439	acquisition, possession, production, cultivation, delivery, or
440	440	disposal of medical cannabis.
441	441	(f) For purposes of Subsection (e):
442	442	(1) ["Dispensing organization" has the meaning
443	443	assigned by Section 487.001.
444	444	[(2)] "Low-THC cannabis" has the meaning assigned by
445	445	Section 169.001, Occupations Code.
446	446	(2) "Low-THC cannabis dispensing organization" means
447	447	a dispensing organization as defined by Section 487.001.
448	448	(3) "Medical cannabis" and "medical use" have the
449	449	meanings assigned by Section 169A.001, Occupations Code.
450	450	(4) "Medical cannabis dispensing organization" means
451	451	a dispensing organization as defined by Section 487A.001.
452	452	SECTION 12. Section 551.004, Occupations Code, is amended
453	453	by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
454	454	follows:
455	455	(a) This subtitle does not apply to:
456	456	(1) a practitioner licensed by the appropriate state
457	457	board who supplies a patient of the practitioner with a drug in a
458	458	manner authorized by state or federal law and who does not operate a
459	459	pharmacy for the retailing of prescription drugs;
460	460	(2) a member of the faculty of a college of pharmacy
461	461	recognized by the board who is a pharmacist and who performs the
462	462	pharmacist's services only for the benefit of the college;
463	463	(3) a person who procures prescription drugs for
464	464	lawful research, teaching, or testing and not for resale;
465	465	(4) a home and community support services agency that
466	466	possesses a dangerous drug as authorized by Section 142.0061,
467	467	142.0062, or 142.0063, Health and Safety Code; [or]
468	468	(5) a low-THC cannabis dispensing organization[, as
469	469	defined by Section 487.001, Health and Safety Code,] that
470	470	cultivates, processes, and dispenses low-THC cannabis, as
471	471	authorized by a license issued under Subchapter C, Chapter 487,
472	472	Health and Safety Code, to a patient listed in the
473	473	compassionate-use registry established under that chapter; or
474	474	(6) a medical cannabis dispensing organization that
475	475	cultivates, processes, and dispenses medical cannabis, as
476	476	authorized by a license issued under Subchapter C, Chapter 487A,
477	477	Health and Safety Code, to a patient listed in the medical use
478	478	registry established under that chapter.
479	479	(a-1) For purposes of Subsections (a)(5) and (6):
480	480	(1) "Low-THC cannabis dispensing organization" means
481	481	a dispensing organization as defined by Section 487.001, Health and
482	482	Safety Code.
483	483	(2) "Medical cannabis dispensing organization" means
484	484	a dispensing organization as defined by Section 487A.001, Health
485	485	and Safety Code.
486	486	SECTION 13. Not later than January 1, 2022, the public
487	487	safety director of the Department of Public Safety shall adopt
488	488	rules as required to implement, administer, and enforce Chapter
489	489	487A, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, including rules
490	490	to establish the medical use registry required by that chapter.
491	491	SECTION 14. This Act takes effect immediately if it
492	492	receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
493	493	house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
494	494	If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
495	495	effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.