Subdivision 1.Administration.

The Division of Medical Cannabis must administer the medical cannabis registry program.

Subd. 2.Application procedure for patients.

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(a) A patient seeking to enroll in the registry program must submit to the Division of Medical Cannabis an application established by the Division of Medical Cannabis and a copy of the certification specified in paragraph (b) or, if the patient is a veteran who receives care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the information required pursuant to subdivision 3. The patient must provide at least the following information in the application:

(1) the patient’s name, mailing address, and date of birth;

(2) the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the patient’s health care practitioner;

(3) the name, mailing address, and date of birth of the patient’s registered designated caregiver, if any, or the patient’s parent, legal guardian, or spouse if the parent, legal guardian, or spouse will be acting as the patient’s caregiver;

(4) a disclosure signed by the patient that includes:

(i) a statement that, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Office of Cannabis Management, the Division of Medical Cannabis, or an employee of the Office of Cannabis Management or Division of Medical Cannabis may not be held civilly or criminally liable for any injury, loss of property, personal injury, or death caused by an act or omission while acting within the employee’s scope of office or employment under this section; and

(ii) the patient’s acknowledgment that enrollment in the registry program is conditional on the patient’s agreement to meet all other requirements of this section; and

(5) all other information required by the Division of Medical Cannabis.

(b) As part of the application under this subdivision, a patient must submit a copy of a certification from the patient’s health care practitioner that is dated within 90 days prior to the submission of the application and that certifies that the patient has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.

(c) A patient’s health care practitioner may submit a statement to the Division of Medical Cannabis declaring that the patient is no longer diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition. Within 30 days after receipt of a statement from a patient’s health care practitioner, the Division of Medical Cannabis must provide written notice to a patient stating that the patient’s enrollment in the registry program will be revoked in 30 days unless the patient submits a certification from a health care practitioner that the patient is currently diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition or, if the patient is a veteran, the patient submits confirmation that the patient is currently diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition in a form and manner consistent with the information required for an application made pursuant to subdivision 3. If the Division of Medical Cannabis revokes a patient’s enrollment in the registry program pursuant to this paragraph, the division must provide notice to the patient and to the patient’s health care practitioner.

Subd. 3.Application procedure for veterans.

(a) The Division of Medical Cannabis shall establish an alternative certification procedure for veterans who receive care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to confirm that the veteran has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.

(b) A patient who is also a veteran and is seeking to enroll in the registry program must submit to the Division of Medical Cannabis an application established by the Division of Medical Cannabis that includes the information identified in subdivision 2, paragraph (a), and the additional information required by the Division of Medical Cannabis to certify that the patient has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.

Subd. 4.Enrollment; denial of enrollment; revocation.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt of an application and certification or other documentation of a diagnosis with a qualifying medical condition, the Division of Medical Cannabis must approve or deny a patient’s enrollment in the registry program. If the Division of Medical Cannabis approves a patient’s enrollment in the registry program, the office must provide notice to the patient and to the patient’s health care practitioner.

(b) A patient’s enrollment in the registry program must only be denied if the patient:

(1) does not submit a certification from a health care practitioner or, if the patient is a veteran, the documentation required under subdivision 3 that the patient has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition;

(2) has not signed the disclosure required in subdivision 2;

(3) does not provide the information required by the Division of Medical Cannabis;

(4) provided false information on the application; or

(5) at the time of application, is also enrolled in a federally approved clinical trial for the treatment of a qualifying medical condition with medical cannabis.

(c) If the Division of Medical Cannabis denies a patient’s enrollment in the registry program, the Division of Medical Cannabis must provide written notice to a patient of all reasons for denying enrollment. Denial of enrollment in the registry program is considered a final decision of the office and is subject to judicial review under chapter 14.

(d) A patient’s enrollment in the registry program may be revoked only:

(1) pursuant to subdivision 2, paragraph (c);

(2) upon the death of the patient;

(3) if the patient’s certifying health care practitioner has filed a declaration under subdivision 2, paragraph (c), that the patient’s qualifying diagnosis no longer exists and the patient does not submit another certification within 30 days;

(4) if the patient does not comply with subdivision 6; or

(5) if the patient intentionally sells or diverts medical cannabis flower or medical cannabinoid products in violation of this chapter.

If a patient’s enrollment in the registry program has been revoked due to a violation of subdivision 6, the patient may apply for enrollment 12 months after the date on which the patient’s enrollment was revoked. The office must process such an application in accordance with this subdivision.

Subd. 5.Registry verification.

When a patient is enrolled in the registry program, the Division of Medical Cannabis must assign the patient a patient registry number and must issue the patient and the patient’s registered designated caregiver, parent, legal guardian, or spouse, if applicable, a registry verification. The Division of Medical Cannabis must also make the registry verification available to medical cannabis retailers. The registry verification must include:

(1) the patient’s name and date of birth;

(2) the patient registry number assigned to the patient; and

(3) the name and date of birth of the patient’s registered designated caregiver, if any, or the name of the patient’s parent, legal guardian, or spouse if the parent, legal guardian, or spouse will act as a caregiver.

Subd. 6.Conditions of continued enrollment.

As conditions of continued enrollment, a patient must:

(1) continue to receive regularly scheduled treatment for the patient’s qualifying medical condition from the patient’s health care practitioner; and

(2) report changes in the patient’s qualifying medical condition to the patient’s health care practitioner.

Subd. 7.Enrollment period.

Enrollment in the registry program is valid for three years. To re-enroll, a patient must submit the information required in subdivision 2 and a patient who is also a veteran must submit the information required in subdivision 3.

Subd. 8.Allowable delivery methods.

A patient in the registry program may receive medical cannabis flower and medical cannabinoid products. The office may approve additional delivery methods to expand the types of products that qualify as medical cannabinoid products.

Subd. 9.Registered designated caregiver.

(a) The Division of Medical Cannabis must register a designated caregiver for a patient if the patient requires assistance in administering medical cannabis flower or medical cannabinoid products or in obtaining medical cannabis flower, medical cannabinoid products, or medical cannabis paraphernalia from a medical cannabis retailer.

(b) In order to serve as a designated caregiver, a person must:

(1) be at least 18 years of age;

(2) agree to only possess the patient’s medical cannabis flower and medical cannabinoid products for purposes of assisting the patient; and

(3) agree that if the application is approved, the person will not serve as a registered designated caregiver for more than six registered patients at one time. Patients who reside in the same residence count as one patient.

(c) The office shall conduct a criminal background check on the designated caregiver prior to registration to ensure that the person does not have a conviction for a disqualifying felony offense. Any cost of the background check shall be paid by the person seeking registration as a designated caregiver. A designated caregiver must have the criminal background check renewed every two years.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a registered designated caregiver from being enrolled in the registry program as a patient and possessing and administering medical cannabis flower or medical cannabinoid products as a patient.

Subd. 10.Parents, legal guardians, spouses.

A parent, legal guardian, or spouse of a patient may act as the caregiver for a patient. The parent, legal guardian, or spouse who is acting as a caregiver must follow all requirements for parents, legal guardians, and spouses under this chapter. Nothing in this section limits any legal authority that a parent, legal guardian, or spouse may have for the patient under any other law.

Subd. 11.Notice of change of name or address.

Patients and registered designated caregivers must notify the Division of Medical Cannabis of any address or name change within 30 days of the change having occurred. A patient or registered designated caregiver is subject to a $100 fine for failure to notify the office of the change.