(a) Compassion centers may only operate if they have been issued a valid registration certificate from the Department. When applying for a compassion center registration certificate, the applicant shall submit the following in accordance with Department regulations:

(1) An application fee in an amount determined by the Department’s regulations.

(2) The proposed legal name of the compassion center.

(3) The proposed physical address of the compassion center and the proposed physical address of any additional locations, if any, where marijuana will be cultivated, harvested, packaged, labeled, or otherwise prepared for distribution by the compassion center.

(4) The name, address, and date of birth of each principal officer and board member of the compassion center, provided that all such individuals shall be at least 21 years of age.

(5) Any instances in which a business or not-for-profit that any of the prospective board members managed or served on the board of was convicted, fined, censured, or had a registration or license suspended or revoked in any administrative or judicial proceeding.

(6) Proposed operating bylaws that include procedures for the oversight of the compassion center and procedures to ensure accurate record keeping and security measures that are in accordance with the regulations issued by the Department pursuant to this chapter. The by-laws shall include a description of the enclosed, locked facility where medical marijuana will be grown, cultivated, harvested, packaged, labeled, or otherwise prepared for distribution by the compassion center.

(7) Any information required by the Department to evaluate the applicant pursuant to the competitive bidding process described in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) The Department shall evaluate applications for compassion center registration certificates using an impartial and numerically scored competitive bidding process developed by the Department in accordance with this chapter. The registration considerations shall consist of the following criteria:

(1) Documentation of not-for-profit status, consistent with § 4919A(a) of this title.

(2) The suitability of the proposed location or locations, including but not limited to compliance with any local zoning laws and the geographic convenience to patients from throughout the State of Delaware to compassion centers if the applicant were approved.

(3) The principal officer and board members’ character and relevant experience, including any training or professional licensing related to medicine, pharmaceuticals, natural treatments, botany, or marijuana cultivation and preparation and their experience running businesses or not-for-profits.

(4) The proposed compassion center’s plan for operations and services, including its staffing and training plans, whether it has sufficient capital to operate, and its ability to provide an adequate supply of medical marijuana to the registered patients in the State.

(5) The sufficiency of the applicant’s plans for record keeping.

(6) The sufficiency of the applicant’s plans for safety, security, and the prevention of diversion, including proposed locations and security devices employed.

(7) The applicant’s plan for making medical marijuana available on an affordable basis to registered qualifying patients enrolled in Medicaid or receiving Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.

(8) The applicant’s plan for safe and accurate packaging and labeling of medical marijuana, including the applicant’s plan for ensuring that all medical marijuana is free of contaminants.

(c) No later than July 1, 2012, the Department shall issue a request for applications for compassion center registration certificates. The Department shall issue a compassion center registration certificate to the highest scoring applicant in each county by January 1, 2013. If there are only applicants from 1 or 2 counties, no later than January 1, 2013, the Department shall issue a compassion center registration certificate to the highest scoring applicant in each county with an applicant. If the revenue received from the fees generated by this chapter and donations covers the cost of implementing the program established by this chapter, certificates will be awarded.

(d) By January 1, 2014, the Department shall issue additional registration certifications to at least 3 of the highest scoring applicants not already awarded a registration certificate, provided a sufficient number of qualified additional applicants have applied. If the Department determines, after reviewing the report issued pursuant to § 4922A of this title, that additional compassion centers are needed to meet the needs of registered qualifying patients throughout the State, the Department shall issue registration certificates to the corresponding number of applicants who score the highest.

(e) (1) At any time after July 1, 2013, that the number of outstanding and valid registered compassion center certificates is lower than the number of registration certificates the Department is required to issue pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the Department shall accept applications for compassion centers and issue registration certificates to the corresponding number of additional applicants who score the highest while ensuring at least 1 compassion center is registered in each county.

(2) Notwithstanding subsections (c), (d), and paragraph (e)(1) of this section, an application for a compassion center registration certificate must be denied if any of the following conditions are met:

a. The applicant failed to submit the materials required by this section, including if the applicant’s plans do not satisfy the security, oversight, or recordkeeping regulations issued by the Department;

b. The applicant would not be in compliance with local zoning regulations issued in accordance with § 4917A of this title;

c. The applicant does not meet the requirements of § 4919A of this title;

d. One or more of the prospective principal officers or board members has been convicted of an excluded felony offense or has been convicted of a misdemeanor drug offense, as provided in Title 16 or an equivalent offense from another jurisdiction, within 5 years from the date of application that is not excluded by § 4902A(7)b.2. of this title; and

e. One or more of the prospective principal officers or board members has served as a principal officer or board member for a registered compassion center that has had its registration certificate revoked; and

f. One or more of the principal officers or board members is younger than 21 years of age.

(f) Before a compassion center is approved, it shall submit a registration fee to the Department in the amount determined by the Department’s regulations and, if a physical address had not been finalized when it applied, it shall submit a complete listing of all its physical addresses.

(g) When issuing a compassion center registration certificate, the Department shall also issue a renewable registration certificate with an identification number.

78 Del. Laws, c. 23, § 1.