TITLE 4: ECONOMIC RESOURCES DIVISION 5: BUSINESS REGULATION
§ 53021. The Commission’s Licensing Duties. (a) Upon adoption of the licensing regulations, the Commission shall begin receiving applications for the licensing of persons to produce, process, and sell marijuana within the Commonwealth. Upon receipt of a license application, the Commission shall not unreasonably delay the processing, approval, or rejection of the application or, if the application is approved, the issuance of the license. (b) The licenses described in this chapter shall be issued by the Commission, subject to its regulations and restrictions and the provisions of this chapter. (c) The Commission may not license any premise that is located within a distance of 500 feet from any church, hospital, medical clinic, public or private school building, daycare center, or youth center that is in existence at the time the license is issued. (d) The Commission may not license a premise that does not have defined boundaries. A licensed premise need not be enclosed by a wall, fence, or other structure, but the Commission shall require that any licensed premises be enclosed as a condition of issuing or renewing a license. The Commission shall not license premises that are mobile. The licensee must possess a long term permanent interest in the licensed premises. (e) The Commission shall not issue licenses to applicants without proof of continued CNMI residency for 5 years immediately prior to the date of license application. Disruption of continued residency shall not be applicable to residents who left the CNMI and are abroad for military service or academic postsecondary education or other technical and agricultural trades enhancement or training. Source: PL 20-66 § 2(121) (Sept. 21, 2018), modified; amended by PL 2105, § 2(G) (Aug. 21, 2019). Commission Comment: In codifying PL 20-66, the Commission changed “Act” to “chapter” in (b) and inserted a comma after “fence” in (d) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g). The Commission changed “the act” to “PL 20-66” in (e) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(d).