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Appropriations: Subcommittee On Investigations


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Guest finallyfree09

if they are going to do this are they going to do background checks on the company hired for it? will this company be reputable and trustworthy? that is my biggest concern. just makes me angry... laziness that is. no one in lansing wants to handle this so they delegate down and cost the taxxpayers of michigan more money. sad

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Guest OrganicFarmer

if they are going to do this are they going to do background checks on the company hired for it? will this company be reputable and trustworthy? that is my biggest concern. just makes me angry... laziness that is. no one in lansing wants to handle this so they delegate down and cost the taxxpayers of michigan more money. sad

 

Agreed, however government itself is made up of private citizens, that are trusted with sensitive information all the time. If someone choices to leak information it's going to happen. I just want to see people who are getting paid actually doing a job! I'd also not like to have my donkey on the line anymore then it needs to be, So just get the card in my hand please!

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The MDCH issued the attached report regarding privatization of the program, as it was directed in the 'boilerplate' section of last year's appropriations bill.

 

This year, there is a difference in the boilerplates passed by the Senate and House, which will be resolved in conference committee. The Senate wants to privatize it on October 1, which informs the Sept 15 deadline in the supplemental appropriation bill for THIS year, which John copied above. That bill need not be passed either.

 

Given the conclusions of the MDCH, which is that privatizing would result (because of privacy concerns) in nearly doubled program costs, and a delay in processing time that would implicitly violate the 15-day statutory limit on granting cards. MDCH clearly does not favor privatization as an answer, and my gut tells me neither does the Chairman. I would also hazard a guess that this may be the opinion he is seeking from the Attorney General, as to the propriety of privatizing elements of the program.

 

Why would some prefer this route? Because of collective bargaining and state budgetary reasons - basically all political. The Governor allegedly opposes the Act, and has done nothing to demonstrate an interest in serious compliance with it to date. Frankly, they are sitting on a 7-figure surplus of patient fees, with no reason to believe that the influx of patients will do anything other than increase exponentially in the coming years.

 

The answer, of course, is to quadruple the size of the program immediately, and institute some function whereby hiring becomes automatically triggered once increased rates of applications hit some target. I can provide personal assurance that the concerns about privacy stated above are far more serious than imagined, but not due to bad intent, but rather to sloppiness that comes from overwork and under-training. However, if the proposed course of action occurs, the problems surrounding the MMP are likely to only grow worse, and sooner rather than later.

FEASIBILITY AND COST OF OUTSOURCING THE MEDICAL MARIHUANA PROGRAM.pdf

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I suggested to the committee that ID cards be valid for ten years until the MDCH can show the ability to deliver cards in a timely manor.

This would reduce the flow of applications down. Only new applications would arrive for the next ten years.

 

That means, ten years from now, reducing the paperwork in this Lansing department by 90%.

 

There is no need to add to the mess by having to deal with renewals.

 

Just take care of the new people and extend the period covered.

 

Grow the program slower than would be otherwise.

 

This may be part of the problem in CO. There they are begging for storage space to house all of the applications they have not been able to get to yet.

 

They get over 1000 applications per day. They have less than half of the population of MI.

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I suggested to the committee that ID cards be valid for ten years until the MDCH can show the ability to deliver cards in a timely manor.

This would reduce the flow of applications down. Only new applications would arrive for the next ten years.

 

That means, ten years from now, reducing the paperwork in this Lansing department by 90%.

 

There is no need to add to the mess by having to deal with renewals.

 

Just take care of the new people and extend the period covered.

 

Grow the program slower than would be otherwise.

 

This may be part of the problem in CO. There they are begging for storage space to house all of the applications they have not been able to get to yet.

 

They get over 1000 applications per day. They have less than half of the population of MI.

 

I like that Idea, maybe suggest that there be a part where the Dr. Signs another piece of the form saying you have to re-new in "x" amount of time. Some people will probably not need to be on Cannabis for 10 years, and others might not like it as a medication, and go to a pharma company. I like it, I can deal with the "side effects", and my condition is not going to go away, not even in 10 years, so why should mine expire in the first place? After 1 year, after 10 years.... my condition will most likely be worse...

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333.26426 Administration and enforcement of rules by department.

6. Administering the Department's Rules.

Sec. 6.

(e) The department shall issue registry identification cards within 5 days of approving an application or

renewal, which shall expire 1 year after the date of issuance.

 

Thus sayeth the law.

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I don't see them changing the renewal time as that is income for the state. Though maybe the option to buy a 5 year card that auto renewed would be nice.

 

I wonder if volunteers could help process cards? I bet there are some folks that would be willing to help a day or two a week.

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I don't see them changing the renewal time as that is income for the state. Though maybe the option to buy a 5 year card that auto renewed would be nice.

 

I wonder if volunteers could help process cards? I bet there are some folks that would be willing to help a day or two a week.

That idea has been offered but the red tape stoped it. However there was talk of changing state drug testing of MDCH employees so MM patients could work there while using MM (on their own time). I dont know where it stands as of now. We need to get more people watching ALL the time , not just when news breaks. UNITE

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333.26426 Administration and enforcement of rules by department.

6. Administering the Department's Rules.

Sec. 6.

(e) The department shall issue registry identification cards within 5 days of approving an application or

renewal, which shall expire 1 year after the date of issuance.

 

Thus sayeth the law.

Crap .. there's a bit of egg on face ..

 

Looks like I've got a bit of catching up to do.

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OK .. it takes a 75% super majority to change the mmj law.

 

But not for the controlled substance act.

 

The CSA could be modified to exempt people from arrest if they have ever had a legitimate mmj ID card.

 

Come to think of it, amending the CSA might be the way to get a few things in order.

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