§329-123.5  Registration requirements; qualifying out-of-state patient; caregiver of a qualifying out-of-state patient.  (a)  Notwithstanding section 329-123, a qualifying out-of-state patient and a caregiver of a qualifying out-of-state patient shall register with the department of health as established by rule.  The registration shall be effective for no more than sixty days and may be renewed for no more than one additional sixty-day period that begins no later than twelve months after the preceding registration date; provided that the department shall not register any qualifying out-of-state patient for a period that exceeds the term of validity of the qualifying out-of-state patient's authority to use medical cannabis in the qualifying out-of-state patient's home jurisdiction.

     (b)  A qualifying out-of-state patient aged eighteen or older, at a minimum, shall meet the following criteria for registration:

     (1)  Provide a valid government-issued medical cannabis card issued to the qualifying out-of-state patient by another state, United States territory, or the District of Columbia; provided that the medical cannabis card has an expiration date and has not expired;

     (2)  Provide a valid photographic identification card or driver's license issued by the same jurisdiction that issued the medical cannabis card; and

     (3)  Have a debilitating medical condition, as defined in section 329-121.

     (c)  A qualifying out-of-state patient under eighteen years of age may be registered pursuant to this section only if the qualifying patient has a debilitating medical condition as defined in section 329-121 and the caregiver of the qualifying out-of-state patient, at a minimum, meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) and consents in writing to:

     (1)  Allow the qualifying out-of-state patient's medical use of cannabis;

     (2)  Undertake the responsibility for managing the well-being of the qualifying out-of-state patient who is under eighteen years of age, with respect to the medical use of cannabis; and

     (3)  Control the acquisition of the cannabis, the dosage, and the frequency of the medical use of cannabis by the qualifying out-of-state patient who is under eighteen years of age.

     (d)  In the case of any qualifying out-of-state patient who is under eighteen years of age, the department of health shall register the qualifying out-of-state patient and the caregiver of the qualifying out-of-state patient; provided that the department may register two caregivers for a qualifying out-of-state patient if each caregiver is the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody of the qualifying out-of-state patient who is under eighteen years of age.

     (e)  Each qualifying out-of-state patient shall pay a fee in an amount established by rules adopted by the department pursuant to chapter 91 for each registration and renewal.

     (f)  Upon inquiry by a law enforcement agency, the department of health shall immediately verify whether the subject of the inquiry has registered with the department of health and may provide reasonable access to the registry information for official law enforcement purposes.  An inquiry and verification under this subsection may be made twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

     (g)  The department of health may temporarily suspend the registration of a qualifying out-of-state patient or a registered caregiver of a qualifying out-of-state patient for a period of up to thirty days if the department of health determines that the registration process for qualifying patients or primary caregivers is being adversely affected or the supply of cannabis for medical use available in licensed dispensaries is insufficient to serve qualifying patients and qualifying out-of-state patients.  A temporary suspension may be extended by thirty-day periods until the department of health determines that:

     (1)  Adequate capacity exists to register qualifying out-of-state patients and caregivers of qualifying out-of-state patients in addition to qualifying patients and primary caregivers; and

     (2)  The licensed dispensaries are able to meet the demands of qualifying patients. [L 2018, c 116, §2; am L 2021, c 169, §3]