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WILKES-BARRE — Applications to be medical marijuana growers/processors and dispensaries are now available on the state Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program website, according to Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy.

Permit applications will be accepted from Feb. 20 to March 20.

“This is an important step forward in getting this valuable medication to patients who desperately need it,” Murphy said in an emailed release. “We’ve developed a thorough application that ensures the operators of medical marijuana grower/processor and dispensary facilities will meet our strict guidelines. Our goal is to deliver medication safely and responsibly and this application will help us do just that.”

The medical marijuana program was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf on April 17. Since that time, the department has:

• Completed the Safe Harbor temporary guidelines and Safe Harbor Letter application process, as well as approved 155 applications.

• Completed temporary regulations for growers/processors, dispensaries and laboratories which have appeared in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

• Released public surveys to aid in the development of temporary regulations for growers/processors and dispensaries/laboratories.

• Developed the Medical Marijuana Physician Workgroup.

• Released a Request for Quotations for Electronic Tracking IT solutions for the tracking of medical marijuana.

The medical marijuana program became effective on May 17 of last year, and is expected to be fully implemented by 2018. The program will offer medical marijuana to patients who are residents of Pennsylvania and under a physician’s care for the treatment of a serious medical condition as defined by Act 16.

Questions from applicants regarding the application process will be accepted by the department until Feb. 8.

Wolf reminds beer customers of

improved convenience now in effect

Gov. Tom Wolf has reminded beer consumers in Pennsylvania that Act 166 of 2016 is now in effect, allowing for even greater customer convenience for purchasing beer from distributors.

“Pennsylvanians waited decades to bring their beer and wine systems into the 21st century,” Wolfe said in an emailed news release.

The new customer conveniences allow for distributors to sell beer in any amount, including six packs, growlers and even single bottles or cans. Act 166 was the second significant liquor reform measure passed last year. Act 39, signed in June and in effect starting in August, significantly overhauled the sale of wine and beer, while also creating increased economic opportunity for Pennsylvania distillers, breweries and wineries.

Changes now in effect under Act 166 include:

• Allowing distributors and importing distributors to sell malt or brewed beverages in any amount to a unlicensed customer for off-premises consumption. The sales do not need to be in the manufacturer’s original configuration and can be sold in refillable growlers that can be resealed.

• Allowing retail licensees to start selling on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. instead of 11:00 a.m., and removing the requirement that a licensee must offer a meal beginning at 9:00 a.m.

• Allowing a person licensed by another state to apply for a “malt or brewed beverage shipper license,” which allows the direct shipment of 192 fl. oz. of beer to be delivered to a customer per month; however, only 96 fl. oz. of a specific brand of beer may be shipped per year to an adult resident.

• Allowing beer and liquor to be sold (in shatterproof containers) before, during and after professional and amateur athletic events and consumed outside the club seating and restaurant area, as can be done at performing arts events or other entertainment events.

• Clarifies that a brewery does not need a brewery pub license to sell the products of other licensed breweries, limited wineries, limited distilleries and distilleries.

Act 39 includes these reforms, among others:

• Removes Sunday and holiday restrictions for Fine Wine & Good Spirits store hours.

• Enables Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores to sell Pennsylvania Lottery tickets.

• Allows grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants and hotels (anyone with a restaurant license) to apply for a permit to sell up to four bottles of wine to go.

• Grants the PLCB common retail marketing abilities, including pricing flexibility, a customer relations management program and couponing opportunities.

• Allows for direct shipments of wine to people’s homes.

• Authorizes the PLCB to auction restaurant liquor licenses that have expired since 2000, in order to accommodate increased market demand for licenses.

• Makes permanent gas stations’ ability to obtain liquor licenses to sell beer (and wine) to go.

Cartwright announces sub-committee assignments

for the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright this week announced his sub-committee assignments for the House Committee on Appropriations. Cartwright will serve on the Commerce, Justice and Science Sub-committee and the Financial Services and General Government Sub-committee.

In an emailed news release, Cartwright, D-Moosic, said, “I intend to use my voice and vote on the Appropriations Committee to protect the health and retirement security of my constituents and to help spur economic growth in the 17th congressional district.”

The agencies the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee provides funding for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, NASA, National Science Foundation, Office of Science and Technology Policy, International Trade Commission and the U.S. Trade Representative.

The Economic Development Administration within the Department of Commerce provides public works grants for redevelopment projects and regional economic planning, and works directly with local and regional officials and business owners to address the economic needs of communities. The EDA also includes programs to encourage U.S. firms to relocate manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

Also within the Department of Commerce, the subcommittee will oversee and fund agencies and programs like the National Institute of Standards and Technology and its role to keep businesses competitive. The independent National Science Foundation is responsible for increasing the number of students who complete education degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and developing innovation in manufacturing.

Veterans’ Treatment Courts, which are hybrid Drug and Mental Health Courts that use the Drug Court model to serve veterans struggling with addiction, serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders, are also under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee.

Other key Department of Justice programs include the Community Oriented Policing Services, which provides grants to police departments for additional officers. The COPS Hiring program has placed over 115,000 officers in communities across the U.S. to advance community policing and anti-crime programs.

The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Department of the Treasury, the Judiciary and federal courts system, Executive Office of President, the District of Columbia, Securities and Exchange Commission, Small Business Administration, Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Office of Personnel Management and federal employee pension systems, among other agencies.

Within the Treasury Department, the subcommittee will oversee and fund agencies and programs like the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, which helps banks, credit unions and venture capital funds finance affordable housing construction and small business expansion by both grants and administration of the New Markets Tax Credit. The subcommittee also oversees the Small Business Administration’s Business Loans Program.

State Secretary on Health Karen Murphy
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_TTL011417opioids2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgState Secretary on Health Karen Murphy

Wolf
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Wolf_March2016CMYK-4.jpg.optimal.jpgWolf

Cartwright
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_trains_01_toned-1.jpg.optimal.jpgCartwright

By Bill O’Boyle

[email protected]

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.