Title
Public Health Department recommending the implemention of the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP) with said Department to serve as local administrator of same; and recommending said Department to return to the Board at a later date with a new fee resolution contingent upon review by County Counsel.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: None.
Background: On February 13, 2007, Public Health presented to the Board the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP), developed and administered by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS). The Program allows California counties to issue special identification cards and to access an online database to track and police the use of medicinal marijuana within their jurisdictions. The Department requested direction from the Board on how to proceed with the Program. The Board informed Public Health that it would research the Program independently in greater detail, after which it would direct the Department further.
Since that meeting, the MMICP has been modified. Specifically, the State application fee has been reduced from $142/applicant to $66/applicant. The rate has fluctuated over the last few months due to cover the costs of purchasing, building and maintaining the States website/database; printing and supplying the ID cards; and staffing the program. The original State projections on both the level of participation within each County, and participation by each County, were over-estimated and did not cover these costs. Response to the increase was very negative, so the State took steps to control costs and reduced staff. It was able to lower the State portion of the ID card rate to $66 ($33 for Medi-Cal participants).
Given the State's application fee, the County's fee for each ID card shall be $122.33. The fee is based on the EMS Agency providing services and is broken out the following way:
Total by character set
Salaries & Benefits $3,711.36
Servi...
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