(a) Funds for the initial establishment and support of the regulatory activities under this division, including the public information program described in subdivision (c), and for the activities of the State Board of Equalization under Part 14.5 (commencing with Section 34010) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code until July 1, 2017, or until the 2017 Budget Act is enacted, whichever occurs later, shall be advanced from the General Fund and shall be repaid by the initial proceeds from fees collected pursuant to this division, any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this division, or revenues collected from the tax imposed by Sections 34011 and 34012 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, by January 1, 2025.
(1) Funds advanced pursuant to this subdivision shall be appropriated to the bureau, which shall distribute the moneys to the appropriate licensing authorities, as necessary to implement the provisions of this division, and to the State Board of Equalization, as necessary, to implement the provisions of Part 14.5 (commencing with Section 34010) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(2) Within 45 days of November 9, 2016, the date this section became operative:
(A) The Director of Finance shall determine an amount of the initial advance from the General Fund to the Cannabis Control Fund that does not exceed thirty million dollars ($30,000,000); and
(B) There shall be advanced a sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) from the General Fund to the State Department of Health Care Services to provide for the public information program described in subdivision (c).
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the Legislature shall provide sufficient funds to the Cannabis Control Fund to support the activities of the bureau, state licensing authorities under this division, and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to support its activities under Part 14.5 (commencing with Section 34010) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. It is anticipated that this funding will be provided annually beginning on July 1, 2017.
(c) The State Department of Health Care Services shall establish and implement a public information program no later than September 1, 2017. This public information program shall, at a minimum, describe the provisions of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016, the scientific basis for restricting access of cannabis and cannabis products to persons under the age of 21 years, describe the penalties for providing access to cannabis and cannabis products to persons under the age of 21 years, provide information regarding the dangers of driving a motor vehicle, boat, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle used for transportation while impaired from cannabis use, the potential harms of using cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding, and the potential harms of overusing cannabis or cannabis products.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 599, Sec. 11. (AB 3261) Effective January 1, 2019. Note: This section was added on Nov. 8, 2016, by initiative Prop. 64.)