Subdivision 1.Task force on medical cannabis therapeutic research.

(a) A 23-member task force on medical cannabis therapeutic research is created to conduct an impact assessment of medical cannabis therapeutic research. The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) two members of the house of representatives, one selected by the speaker of the house, the other selected by the minority leader;

(2) two members of the senate, one selected by the majority leader, the other selected by the minority leader;

(3) four members representing consumers or patients enrolled in the registry program, including at least two parents of patients under age 18;

(4) four members representing health care providers, including one licensed pharmacist;

(5) four members representing law enforcement, one from the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, one from the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, one from the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, and one from the Minnesota County Attorneys Association;

(6) four members representing substance use disorder treatment providers; and

(7) the commissioners of health, human services, and public safety.

(b) Task force members listed under paragraph (a), clauses (3), (4), (5), and (6), shall be appointed by the governor under the appointment process in section 15.0597. Members shall serve on the task force at the pleasure of the appointing authority. All members must be appointed by July 15, 2014, and the commissioner of health shall convene the first meeting of the task force by August 1, 2014.

(c) There shall be two cochairs of the task force chosen from the members listed under paragraph (a). One cochair shall be selected by the speaker of the house and the other cochair shall be selected by the majority leader of the senate. The authority to convene meetings shall alternate between the cochairs.

(d) Members of the task force other than those in paragraph (a), clauses (1), (2), and (7), shall receive expenses as provided in section 15.059, subdivision 6.

Subd. 1a.Administration.

The commissioner of health shall provide administrative and technical support to the task force.

Subd. 2.Impact assessment.

The task force shall hold hearings to evaluate the impact of the use of medical cannabis and hemp and Minnesota’s activities involving medical cannabis and hemp, including, but not limited to:

(1) program design and implementation;

(2) the impact on the health care provider community;

(3) patient experiences;

(4) the impact on the incidence of substance abuse;

(5) access to and quality of medical cannabis, hemp, and medical cannabis products;

(6) the impact on law enforcement and prosecutions;

(7) public awareness and perception; and

(8) any unintended consequences.

Subd. 3.Cost assessment.

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By January 15 of each year, beginning January 15, 2015, and ending January 15, 2019, the commissioners of state departments impacted by the medical cannabis therapeutic research study shall report to the cochairs of the task force on the costs incurred by each department on implementing sections 152.22 to 152.37. The reports must compare actual costs to the estimated costs of implementing these sections and must be submitted to the task force on medical cannabis therapeutic research.

Subd. 4.Reports to the legislature.

(a) The cochairs of the task force shall submit the following reports to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over health and human services, public safety, judiciary, and civil law:

(1) by February 1, 2015, a report on the design and implementation of the registry program; and every two years thereafter, a complete impact assessment report; and

(2) upon receipt of a cost assessment from a commissioner of a state agency, the completed cost assessment.

(b) The task force may make recommendations to the legislature on whether to add or remove conditions from the list of qualifying medical conditions.

Subd. 5.No expiration.

The task force on medical cannabis therapeutic research does not expire.