935 CMR, § 501.803 - Suitability Standard for Registration as a Laboratory Agent

(1) 935 CMR 501.803 shall apply to Laboratory Agents in their capacity as employees or volunteers for an Independent Testing Laboratory licensed pursuant to 935 CMR 501.029 registered with the DCJIS pursuant to 803 CMR 2.04: iCORIRegistration and the Commission for purposes of determining suitability for registration as a Laboratory Agent with the Licensee.

(2) In accordance with M.G.L. c. 94G, § 15(b)(5), the Commission is prohibited from issuing a registration to a Laboratory Agent who has been convicted of a felony drug offense in the Commonwealth or Other Jurisdictions that would be a felony drug offense in the Commonwealth.

(3) For purposes of determining suitability based on background checks performed in accordance with 935 CMR 501.803:

(a) All conditions, offenses, and violations are construed to include Massachusetts law or similar law(s) of Other Jurisdictions.

(b) All criminal disqualifying conditions, offenses, and violations include the crimes of attempt, accessory, conspiracy, and solicitation.

(c) Juvenile dispositions shall not be considered as a factor for determining suitability.

(d) Where applicable, all look back periods for criminal conditions, offenses, and violations included in 935 CMR 501.803: Table C commence on the date of disposition; provided however, that if disposition results in incarceration in any institution, the look back period shall commence on release from incarceration.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in 935 CMR 501.803: Table C, a criminal condition, offense or violation shall include both convictions, which include guilty pleas and pleas of nolo contendere, and dispositions resulting in continuances without a finding or other disposition constituting an admission to sufficient facts, but shall exclude other non-conviction dispositions.

(f) All suitability determinations will be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in 935 CMR 501.800. In addition to the requirements established in 935 CMR 501.800 shall:

1. Consider whether offense(s) or information that would result in a Presumptive Negative Suitability Determination under 935 CMR 501.803: Table C renders the subject unsuitable for registration, regardless of the determination of the Licensee; and

2. Consider appeals of determinations of unsuitability based on claims of erroneous information received as part of the background check during the application process in accordance with 803 CMR 2.17: Requirement to Maintain a Secondary Dissemination Log and 803 CMR 2.18: Adverse Employment Decision Based on CORI or Other Types of Criminal History Information Received from a Source Other than the DCJIS.

Table C: Registration as a Laboratory Agent. Shall apply solely to applicants for registration as a Laboratory Agent in accordance with 935 CMR 501.803 at an MTC registered or licensed pursuant to 935 CMR 501.052, or 935 CMR 500.050: Marijuana Establishments.

Time Period	Precipitating Issue	Result
Present (during time from start of application process through action on application or renewal).	Open/Unresolved Criminal Proceedings: any outstanding or unresolved criminal proceeding, the disposition of which may result in a felony conviction under the laws of the Commonwealth or a similar law in Other Jurisdictions.	Mandatory Disqualification
Present	Open/Unresolved Marijuana Business-related License Violations (Massachusetts or Other Jurisdictions): an outstanding or unresolved violation of the regulations as included in 935 CMR 501.000 or a similar statute or regulations in Other Jurisdictions that has either (a) remained unresolved for a period of six months or more; or (b) the nature of which would result in a determination of unsuitability for registration.	Presumptive Negative Suitability Determination
Present	Submission of False or Misleading Information to the Commission Including, but Not Limited to: Submission of information in connection with an agent application, waiver request or other Commission action that is deceptive, misleading, false or fraudulent, or that tends to deceive or create a misleading impression, whether directly, or by omission or ambiguity including lack of disclosure or insufficient disclosure; or Making statements during or in connection with a Commission inspection or investigation that are deceptive, misleading, false or fraudulent, or that tend to deceive or create a misleading impression, whether directly, or by omission or ambiguity, including lack of disclosure or insufficient disclosure.	Presumptive Negative Suitability Determination
Present	Open Professional or Occupational License Cases	Mandatory Disqualification
Indefinite	Felony Convictions in Massachusetts or Other Jurisdictions for drug offenses or trafficking crimes under M.G.L. c. 94C, § 32E, or like crimes in Other Jurisdictions.	Mandatory Disqualification
Preceding Five Years	Felony Convictions or CWOF in Massachusetts or Other Jurisdictions for crimes of violence against a person, "violent crime" to be defined the same way as under M.G.L. c. 140, § 121 and M.G.L. c. 127, § 133E.	Presumptive Negative Suitability Determination
Preceding Seven Years	Felony Convictions or CWOF in Massachusetts or Other Jurisdictions for crimes of dishonesty or fraud.	Presumptive Negative Suitability Determination
Preceding Five Years	The applicant's or Licensee's prior actions posed or would likely pose a risk to the public health, safety, or welfare; and the risk posed by the applicant's or Licensee's actions relates or would likely relate to the operation of an MTC.	May make a Negative Suitability Determination in accordance with 935 CMR 500.800(8)

Notes

935 CMR, § 501.803

Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1403, eff. 11/1/2019. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1434, eff. 1/8/2021. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1436, eff. 1/8/2021. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1441, eff. 1/8/2021. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1507, eff. 10/27/2023.