Marijuana regulation fix bill passes House, heads for concurrence in Senate

SB 5131 makes numerous minor regulatory changes to current marijuana law and is continuing to move in the Legislature. The bill passed out of the House and will head back to the Senate for concurrence before the Governor’s Office.

Among its many changes, the bill would:

• Allow marijuana businesses to enter into licensing agreements or consulting contracts for goods or services related to a marijuana business.
• Authorize a producer to sell immature marijuana plants, clones, and seeds to marijuana researchers, cooperatives, and qualified patients and providers.
• Authorize the transportation of immature marijuana plants, clones, and seeds.
• Clarify a legislative intent regarding the need to protect children from marijuana advertising to assist the state's efforts to discourage and prevent underage consumption.
• Prohibit marijuana licensees from using advertising that is targeted to youth and from using objects or characters that are appealing to children.
• Place additional restrictions on marijuana advertising in public places and bans the use of commercial mascots.
• Increase the allowable size of the signs at a retail marijuana business to a maximum of 2400 square inches.
• Prohibit all billboards except for the sole purpose of providing directional information to a licensed marijuana retailer's store.
• Allow local governments to adopt more restrictive advertising restrictions and, if so done, requires that they would be required to enforce those local laws.