New legislation that will change how medical and recreational marijuana operates in Washington has the Bellevue City Council holding back on how it might regulate cannabis research in the city, pending development of a statewide program.

The Washington Legislature passed three bills during this year’s lengthy session, one of which creates a new license to allow for the researching of cannabis for medical purposes.

Those licenses will be issued by the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board (formerly the Washington Liquor Control Board) once a program is developed to regulate it, said Bellevue Legal Planner Catherine Drews.

The city has regulated the growing, processing and sale of recreational marijuana through an interim ordinance since October 2013, and is nearing completion of permanent regulations.

Drews said new state laws required the council to consider what to do about the potential for medical cannabis research in Bellevue. “I would suggest a moratorium, until there’s some — on the research side of it — until there is some kind of statewide regulation on it,” said Councilmember John Chelminiak.

Councilmember Lynne Robinson said if the city were to allow medical cannabis research, only a Washington university should be allowed licensure. Drews said state law will allow universities to contract with private research agencies.

Another law will ban collective gardens, starting July 1, 2016, and replace them with medical cooperatives.

The change is meant to shutter medical dispensaries using loopholes in collective garden rules to open storefronts, and significantly reduces the number of patients who may join a cooperative. The law effectively integrates unregulated medical into the realm of highly regulated recreational marijuana.

Medical patients can either join a cooperative — limited to four patients — or purchase marijuana from a recreational store that has been endorsed by the LCB. Drews said it’s unknown whether the three retail marijuana stores operating in Bellevue will seek such an endorsement.

The council decided to ban collective gardens ahead of the statewide ban next year, due to the fact none exist currently.

The council is still considering what to do with cooperatives, since city policy prohibits the growing of marijuana inside a residence. Councilmembers sought more information from staff to ensure banning cooperatives would not prevent patients from having access to medical cannabis.

Bellevue staff will return with amendments to the city’s regulations on July 20 for potential adoption. If adopted, the East Bellevue Community Council would likely consider approving the regulations on Aug. 4.