Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes new marijuana research laboratories to study the drug to better inform regulation and the legal process.

Highlights:

• Requires that the State Department of Agriculture, Oregon Health Authority, and Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission establish a cannabis reference laboratory to provide regulatory and technical support of enforcement (Sec. 2)

• Requires that the laboratory be able to verify current analytical methods and develop new methods for testing marijuana items, industrial hemp, or hemp products and confirm test results from laboratories licensed or accredited (Sec. 2).

• Requires that the cannabis reference laboratory be able to provide ongoing laboratory quality control samples at the request of the authority, commission, or department (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the cannabis reference laboratory is not required to be licensed or accredited (Sec. 2)

• Authorizes the authority, commission, and department to require marijuana items, industrial hemp, or hemp products to be tested by the cannabis reference laboratory if there is reason to believe the product is not in compliance (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the authority, commission, or department to invalidate results conducted at a licensed laboratory if a test conducted at the cannabis reference laboratory yields different results (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes law enforcement agencies to request the cannabis reference laboratory conduct testing to assist their investigations (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the department to charge a fee to the authority, commission, or law enforcement agency to reimburse the department for costs incurred in conducting testing at the cannabis reference laboratory (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the authority, commission, and department to adopt rules to carry out this section (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that Section 2 becomes operative on January 1, 2024 (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the authority and commission, if they have reason to believe a marijuan item or industrial hemp-derived vapor item is not in compliance, to require the item to undergo the same test more than once (Sec. 25).

Full Bill Text