The committee rejects three suggestions for regulating the marijuana industry, but a goal for organized crime remains on the table

The legislator in Augusta took into account a number of draft laws in connection with the regulation of the sometimes Corybantic cannabis industry from Maine on Thursday afternoon.

During the public hearing this morning, the veteran and legal mentual committee heard statements about four bills, all of which could achieve a similar goal: the illegal cannabis growth that have appeared in the entire state in recent years.

Shortly after completing the public hearings, a working session took place, in which the committee unanimously voted to reject three of these four suggestions without a discussion.

The fourth bill, MP Ann Fredericks (R-Sanford) LD 1609If the members were taken over at a later date.

While the rejected legislation according to people with the latest medication -related convictions and physical locations that were repeated in repeated violation of the law, LD 1609 places a specific value on organized crimes.

According to this law, the Office of cannabis guidelines must reject applications for registration applications that have been associated with organized crimes by “state or federal law enforcement officers” in the past five years.

It is also necessary for registrations to be revoked by a person or a place that is known to be associated with organized crimes during the last five -year period.

Due to the similar goals that participated among these and the three legislative templates that have now been dismissed, it was stated during the public hearing that the committee intended to advance with only one, if at all.

The three legislative templates that have voted unanimously should not concentrate on the disqualification and rejection of the committee based on previous crimes related to drug or cannabis.

Senator Scott Cyrway (R-Kennebec) LD 1455 If the definition of “disqualifying drug crime” had updated convicts in connection with the “cultivation or distribution of cannabis” after October 1, 2025.

LD 1455 would also have banned registrations to be issued to people or institutions that are currently being examined for “illegal cultivation or distribution of cannabis”. People who were convicted of “illegal cultivation or distribution” of cannabis would also be excluded from obtaining registration.

“[Illegal grows are] An attack on the Cannabis industry from Maine, the cannabis consumers, the buyers of homes and the public equally, “said Senator Cyrway during the public hearing on Thursday.” It is time to strengthen our laws to contain this problem. “

Senator Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin) LD 1320 Only to update the definition of a “disqualifying drug crime” in order to record convictions within a period of three years before submitting an application.

In the introduction of this law, Sen. Timberlake suggested that it affects a “fair balance between second opportunities and accountability”, since the legal framework for cannabis operations “only works if everyone plays according to the same rules”.

Sponsored by Rep. Chad R. Perkins (R-Dover-Foxcroft), LD 1608 Only concentrated on the fact that the registrations are issued at certain physical locations and prevent registrations for real estate that have repeatedly violated the Cannabis Act.

It would have set up a ten-year moratorium for the issue of registrations to a geographical location, which was repeated violations of Maine's cannabis regulations.

According to Rep. Perkins, this would prevent it from becoming illegal that the state law “simply puts the operation by taking a new front man”.

When Rep. Fredericks introduced LD 1609, the only of these four bills that were still on the table, she quoted concerns about “sophisticated and well -financed network”[s]”Illegal cannabis operations in Maine.

The committee of the veteran and legal matters should take this legal template into account and potentially submit preliminary votes during a working session on Monday, May 12th at 9:45 a.m.

Click here to get more information about LD 1609