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PC 1281

Para enmendar los Artículos 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22, 24, y 27 de la Ley 42-2017, según enmendada, conocida como “Ley para Manejar el Estudio, Desarrollo e Investigación del Cannabis para la Innovación, Normas Aplicables y Límites (“Ley MEDICINAL”)”, con el propósito de atemperar la Ley a la realidad actual del cannabis medicinal como tratamiento paliativo, aclarar los fines perseguidos por esta Ley, la política pública del Gobierno de Puerto Rico, establecer propósitos y porcientos de asignación en relación con los fondos recaudados por multas y licencias, atemperar reglamentación y para otros fines relacionados.

2025-2028 Session

The bill updates Ley MEDICINAL to clarify its palliative care role, refine regulatory and funding allocations from fines and licenses, and improve enforcement and transparency.

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Bill Summary · PC 1281

Overview

  • Jurisdiction: Puerto Rico
  • Session: 2025-2028
  • Bill number: PC 1281
  • Status: Radicado (introduced) on 2026-05-15
  • Title: A amendments to Articles 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22, 24, and 27 of Law 42-2017, as amended, known as the “Ley MEDICINAL” (Law to Manage the Study, Development and Research of Cannabis for Innovation, Applicable Standards and Limits)
  • Purpose stated in title: Attemper the law to the current reality of medicinal cannabis as palliative treatment, clarify the law’s purposes and public policy goals, establish purposes and allocation percentages related to funds from fines and licenses, adjust regulation, and address related matters.

What the bill aims to do

  • Update and clarify the objectives and public policy underlying the Ley MEDICINAL.
  • Align statutory language with contemporary understanding of medicinal cannabis as a palliative care option.
  • Provide clearer guidance on the permitted purposes of the law (e.g., research, development, innovation) and how the government intends to use the funds generated by fines and licensing activities.
  • Adjust regulatory framework to reflect current practice and potentially reduce ambiguities in enforcement and administration.
  • Rebalance or specify how revenues from penalties (fines) and license fees are allocated, including establishing percentage distributions.

Key provisions and changes (as proposed)

Note: The specific text of each amendment is not provided; the bill targets Articles 2, 3, 5, 10–15, 17, 21–22, 24, and 27 of Law 42-2017. Based on the description, expected areas of change include:

  • Purpose and Policy Clarifications

    • Reiterate and refine the stated goals of the Ley MEDICINAL.
    • Clarify that medicinal cannabis serves as a treatment option in palliative care and related therapeutic contexts.
    • State the government’s public policy objectives regarding cannabis research, innovation, and patient access.

  • Regulation and Administrative Framework

    • Harmonize regulatory language with current standards for cultivation, processing, distribution, testing, labeling, and safeguarding.
    • Potentially streamline licensing processes or adjust eligibility criteria for licensees.
    • Clarify oversight roles for relevant agencies and interagency coordination.

  • Financial Provisions

    • Establish or adjust purposes for funds derived from fines and license fees.
    • Set allocation percentages for how these funds are used (e.g., public health programs, research, regulatory administration, social or equity initiatives).
    • Provide mechanisms for ensuring revenue transparency and accountability.

  • Compliance and Enforcement

    • Clarify compliance expectations for licensees and participants in the medicinal cannabis program.
    • Refine penalties or enforcement procedures in relation to violations and noncompliance.
    • Align penalties with administrative and regulatory practices to ensure proportionality and clarity.

  • Definitions and Scope

    • Update definitions to reflect current understanding and practice.
    • Ensure consistency across all amended articles for interpretive clarity.

Who would be affected

  • Government agencies responsible for cannabis regulation, licensing, enforcement, and public health (e.g., health department, regulatory commissions, and fiscal authorities).
  • Licensed medicinal cannabis operators (cultivators, processors, distributors, testing laboratories, dispensaries) due to potential changes in licensing criteria, fees, reporting obligations, and compliance expectations.
  • Patients and healthcare providers relying on medicinal cannabis as a palliative treatment, through clarified purposes and improved access pathways.
  • Public at large, through revised allocation of funds from fines and licensing, potentially supporting health, research, and public policy initiatives.
  • Civil society and industry stakeholders involved in research, innovation, and regulatory reform in the cannabis sector.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Bill introduced (radicado) on May 15, 2026.
  • Next steps typically include committee assignment, hearings, stakeholder input, and potential amendments.
  • If advanced, the bill would progress through standard legislative stages: committee review, floor votes in the Chamber of Representatives, passage to the Senate (or equivalent), potential reconciliations, and gubernatorial approval or veto.
  • Effective date: Not specified in the summary; with passage, a scheduled effective date would be determined in the final text, potentially including phased implementations for regulatory adjustments and funding allocations.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Clarity and predictability: Improved clarity on purpose and regulatory aims can reduce ambiguity for licensees and regulators.
  • Public health and patient access: Emphasis on palliative use may expand or better define access pathways for patients seeking medicinal cannabis as a treatment option.
  • Revenue use: Specific allocation of fines and license revenues could direct funds toward research, public health initiatives, and regulatory operations, enhancing transparency.
  • Compliance burden: Revisions may adjust licensing requirements and penalties; stakeholders should monitor for changes in compliance expectations and administrative processes.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to emphasize particular sections of Law 42-2017 or provide a side-by-side comparison with the current text to show exact changes once the bill’s actual amended language is available.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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