| R 367 |
| 2017 -- H 5551 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/29/2017 |
| J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA |
| Introduced By: Representatives Canario, Nardolillo, Craven, Hull, and Casimiro |
| Date Introduced: February 16, 2017 |
| WHEREAS, The effects of legalizing marijuana have not been fully vetted and analyzed |
| in Rhode Island; and |
| WHEREAS, Data and analysis including, but not limited to, Colorado and Washington, |
| as states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana, can help inform the conversation in |
| Rhode Island and also include a review of the costs, benefits, and societal impact; and |
| WHEREAS, The effects on all populations including children, young and older adults, as |
| well as students, and adults and youth in recovery should be considered; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of twenty-two (22) nineteen (19) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the |
| Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of |
| the Senate; three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of Representatives, not more than |
| two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom |
| shall be a representative from Smart Approaches to Marijuana or a similar organization, to be |
| appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the President of the Substance Use |
| Mental Health Council of RI, or designee; one of whom shall be a member of an organization that |
| is a proponent for the legalization of marijuana, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; |
| one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Medical Society, or designee; |
| one of whom shall be a member of a local chamber of commerce, to be appointed by the |
| President of the Senate; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Health, or |
| designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association, or |
| designee; one of whom shall be the Attorney General, or designee; one of whom shall represent |
| medical marijuana patients in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of |
| whom shall be an educator in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of |
| whom shall be a mental health professional, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of |
| whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the NAACP (National Association |
| for the Advancement of Colored People), or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the |
| local chapter of DARE (Direct Action for Rights and Equality), or designee; one of whom shall |
| be a local representative of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR), to be appointed by the |
| Board President of the DFCR; one of whom shall be a criminal defense attorney, to be jointly |
| appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate; and one of whom shall be |
| the President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, or designee. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
| commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
| resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
| of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which |
| is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. |
| The purpose of said Commission shall be to conduct a comprehensive review and make |
| recommendations regarding marijuana and the effects of its use on the residents of Colorado and |
| Washington to the extent available, and to study the fiscal impact to those states; and thereafter |
| the potential impact on Rhode Island. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and organize. The President |
| of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall each select one member to serve as co- |
| chairpersons of the commission. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purpose of this resolution. |
| The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
| suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the General |
| Assembly on or before March 1, 2018, and said commission shall expire on July 1, 2018. |
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| LC001373/SUB A/4 |
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