50-46-103. Procedures -- minors -- confidentiality -- report to legislature. (1) The department shall establish and maintain a program for the issuance of registry identification cards to persons who meet the requirements of this chapter.
     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the department shall issue a registry identification card to a qualifying patient who submits the following, in accordance with department rules:
     (a) written certification that the person is a qualifying patient;
     (b) an application or renewal fee;
     (c) the name, address, and date of birth of the qualifying patient;
     (d) the name, address, and telephone number of the qualifying patient's physician; and
     (e) the name, address, and date of birth of the qualifying patient's caregiver, if any.
     (3) The department shall issue a registry identification card to a minor if the materials required under subsection (2) are submitted and the custodial parent or legal guardian with responsibility for health care decisions for the minor signs and submits a written statement that:
     (a) the minor's physician has explained to that minor and to the custodial parent or legal guardian with responsibility for health care decisions for the minor the potential risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana; and
     (b) the custodial parent or legal guardian with responsibility for health care decisions for the minor:
     (i) consents to the medical use of marijuana by the minor;
     (ii) agrees to serve as the minor's caregiver; and
     (iii) agrees to control the acquisition of marijuana and the dosage and frequency of the medical use of marijuana by the minor.
     (4) The department shall issue a registry identification card to the caregiver who is named in a qualifying patient's approved application if the caregiver signs a statement agreeing to provide marijuana only to qualifying patients who have named the applicant as caregiver. The department may not issue a registry identification card to a proposed caregiver who has previously been convicted of a felony drug offense. A caregiver may receive reasonable compensation for services provided to assist with a qualifying patient's medical use of marijuana.
     (5) (a) The department shall verify the information contained in an application or renewal submitted pursuant to this section and shall approve or deny an application or renewal within 15 days of receipt of the application or renewal.
     (b) The department may deny an application or renewal only if the applicant did not provide the information required pursuant to this section, the department determines that the information was falsified, or the applicant is not qualified to receive a registry identification card under the provisions of this chapter. Rejection of an application or renewal is considered a final department action, subject to judicial review.
     (6) The department shall issue a registry identification card within 5 days of approving an application or renewal. Registry identification cards expire 1 year after the date of issuance. Registry identification cards must state:
     (a) the name, address, and date of birth of the qualifying patient;
     (b) the name, address, and date of birth of the qualifying patient's caregiver, if any;
     (c) the date of issuance and expiration date of the registry identification card; and
     (d) other information that the department may specify by rule.
     (7) A person who has been issued a registry identification card shall notify the department of any change in the qualifying patient's name, address, physician, or caregiver or change in status of the qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition within 10 days of the change. If a change occurs and is not reported to the department, the registry identification card is void.
     (8) The department shall maintain a confidential list of the persons to whom the department has issued registry identification cards. Individual names and other identifying information on the list must be confidential and are not subject to disclosure, except to:
     (a) authorized employees of the department as necessary to perform official duties of the department; or
     (b) authorized employees of state or local law enforcement agencies, only as necessary to verify that a person is a lawful possessor of a registry identification card.
     (9) The department shall report annually to the legislature the number of applications for registry identification cards, the number of qualifying patients and caregivers approved, the nature of the debilitating medical conditions of the qualifying patients, the number of registry identification cards revoked, and the number of physicians providing written certification for qualifying patients. The department may not provide any identifying information of qualifying patients, caregivers, or physicians.

     History: En. Sec. 3, I.M. No. 148, approved Nov. 2, 2004.