Efforts to help businesses get established so they could ultimately sell marijuana for medical purposes took a step forward with the signing of a new law.

Bill 69-34, which became Public Law 34-24, is another effort toward allowing Guam's medical marijuana program to be implemented by providing the Department of Revenue and Taxation with provisions to issue business licenses for medical marijuana cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and laboratory testing services. It passed the legislature unanimously.

While Guam voters legalized medical marijuana in 2014 under the Joaquin "KC" Conception II Compassionate Cannabis Use Act of 2013, those who may qualify to use medical marijuana are still unable to legally gain access to the drug as local government agencies still lack the proper rules, regulations and facilities to provide medical marijuana to authorized patients.

Qualifying patients are still without a means to access treatment, in part because a laboratory for testing the medical marijuana products doesn't exist.

The new law requires the Department of Revenue and Taxation to collect fees and issue business licenses for the commercial cultivation, manufacturing, laboratory testing, and dispensary activities of medical cannabis, according to the governor's office.

Additional bills

Gov. Eddie Calvo also signed additional bills into law, including:

• Public Law 34-20: Allows Land for the Landless program recipients additional time to cure accounts that have fallen into default;

• Public Law 34-21: Changes the criteria for eligibility and benefit coverage of the medical referral services to reflect current constraints and opportunities;

• Public Law 34-22: Adds a new chapter to the Fair Chances Hiring Process Act, which limits what an employer can require for criminal background check during the application;

Public Law 34-23: Allows for the Government of Guam head or director of a department or agency to grant administrative leave to Government of Guam employees for the purpose of donating an organ, tissue, or bone marrow;

Public Law 34-28: Persons imprisoned for violent crimes who have applied for parole and who have been denied parole for two consecutive years should not be eligible to apply for parole for at least four years from the date of denial of the last parole request, in order to spare the victims and their loved ones further trauma, pain, and grief;

Public Law 34-29: Provides $150,000 in additional funds for maintenance and repairs at Guam Department of Education schools;

Public Law 34-30: Authorizes businesses to use electronic signage, provided that all business requirements are met and thereafter maintained in good standing;

Public Law 34-31: Prohibits sky lanterns with an open flame to prevent wildfires and structural fires;

Public Law 34-33: Requires an economic impact statement for a proposed a rule, regulation, fee, or increase of fees for services; and

Public Law 34-34: Concerns license plates for veterans who reside on Guam.