1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; creating a cannabis task force; requiring a report;proposing 
1.3 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 152.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [152.38] CANNABIS TASK FORCE.
1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Cannabis Task Force is established to advise the 
1.7 	legislature on issues relating to the legalization and decriminalization of the cultivation, 
1.8 	production, sale, possession, and use of cannabis in Minnesota by individuals 21 years of 
1.9 	age or older.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Membership. (a) The Cannabis Task Force consists of:
1.11 	(1) the governor or a designee;
1.12 	(2) four members representing each major political party recognized in Minnesota, with 
1.13 	the chair of the political party appointing the member;
1.14 	(3) the commissioner of agriculture or a designee;
1.15 	(4) the commissioner of health or a designee;
1.16 	(5) the commissioner of public safety or a designee;
1.17 	(6) the attorney general or a designee;
1.18 	(7) the state public defender or a designee;
1.19 	(8) the commissioner of revenue or a designee;
1.20 	(9) the commissioner of labor and industry or a designee;
2.1 	(10) the commissioner of human services or a designee;
2.2 	(11) the commissioner of commerce or a designee; and
2.3 	(12) five members appointed by the governor who have relevant knowledge and 
2.4 	experience, including:
2.5 	(i) one member who is a county attorney;
2.6 	(ii) one member who is a chief of police or sheriff;
2.7 	(iii) one member with experience working in the medical cannabis industry;
2.8 	(iv) one member who is a physician with expertise in the treatment of cannabis addiction; 
2.9 	and
2.10 	(v) one member who is a health care practitioner with experience in providing treatment 
2.11 	for patients with a qualifying medical condition who are registered in the medical cannabis 
2.12 	patient registry.
2.13 	(b) Members shall serve without compensation.
2.14 		Subd. 3.Organization. (a) The governor or the governor's designee shall convene the 
2.15 	first meeting of the task force.
2.16 	(b) The task force shall meet monthly or as determined by the chair.
2.17 	(c) The members of the task force shall elect a chair and other officers as the members 
2.18 	deem necessary.
2.19 		Subd. 4.Staff. The commissioner of health shall provide support staff, office space, and 
2.20 	administrative services for the task force.
2.21 		Subd. 5.Duties. (a) The task force shall study the potential impact of legalizing and 
2.22 	decriminalizing cannabis in Minnesota. The study shall assess the health, public safety, and 
2.23 	economic impact of legalization, including the benefits and risks associated with legalizing 
2.24 	cannabis. The study shall examine:
2.25 	(1) the experiences of other states that have legalized cannabis;
2.26 	(2) the impact on law enforcement and criminal justice, including possible increases in 
2.27 	crime and traffic accidents;
2.28 	(3) the impact on substance abuse, including possible reductions in opioid prescribing 
2.29 	and overdoses;
2.30 	(4) possible health benefits and risks associated with cannabis use;
3.1 	(5) potential tax revenue and long-term cost savings or losses;
3.2 	(6) social justice, including issues associated with criminalization and the disproportionate 
3.3 	rates on certain racial and ethnic groups; and
3.4 	(7) possibilities for economic development, including opportunities for community 
3.5 	revitalization.
3.6 	(b) The task force shall develop a framework of what the state would need to include in 
3.7 	regulating and decriminalizing cannabis, including:
3.8 	(1) statutory changes necessary for the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis;
3.9 	(2) taxation of cannabis sales and appropriate dedicated uses for the tax revenue raised;
3.10 	(3) state and local regulation of cannabis growth, processing, transport, packaging, 
3.11 	labeling, sale, possession, and use;
3.12 	(4) funding for and provision of treatment to persons who are dependent on cannabis;
3.13 	(5) expungement of low level marijuana convictions;
3.14 	(6) security of cannabis retail and manufacturing locations and the safe handling of 
3.15 	proceeds from cannabis sales, including banking options;
3.16 	(7) incentives for minority-owned businesses to participate in the cannabis industry; and
3.17 	(8) recommendations to the legislature and others about the necessary and appropriate 
3.18 	actions related to legalization of cannabis in the state.
3.19 		Subd. 6.Report. By December 1, 2020, the task force shall submit a report to the chairs 
3.20 	and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction 
3.21 	over health, human services, revenue, public safety, labor and industry, and agriculture 
3.22 	policy and finance that details the task force's assessments and framework as required under 
3.23 	subdivision 5.
3.24 		Subd. 7.Expiration. This section expires July 1, 2021.