HELENA – Just three weeks before recreational marijuana sales begin in Montana, state lawmakers say they want to spend a little more time reviewing the rules that will govern those sales.
On Thursday, the Interim Committee on Economic Affairs voted in informal opposition to the Montana Department of Revenue’s proposed current rules. This will delay the rule-making process for a few days as lawmakers talk to the department and take a closer look at the proposals.
“Because this is such an important issue for the state of Montana, it is our duty to ensure that it is 100% accurate, 100% within the intent of the Legislature, that our legislative intent is met for the people of Montana, “the senator said. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton. “That’s our job, and it’s just our job.”
Ellsworth and Miss Democrat Sen. Shane Morigeau will take the initiative to work with Revenue. Both were part of the select committee that helped shape House Act 701, the main marijuana law during the last legislative session.
Ellsworth told MTN it’s not a fight and the department has done a good job with the rules on a very tight schedule. However, he still has concerns about some of the provisions that he believes are too far removed from what lawmakers intended with HB 701. For example, he questioned the rules that would allow outdoor marijuana growers, a otherwise banned, but recognized if they were already operating, increase their growing space. He was also concerned about a rule change that would allow marijuana dispensaries to label their products with the word “cannabis” instead of “marijuana.”
Morigeau said one of his main concerns is about the department’s interpretation that marijuana licenses offered to the state’s eight tribes can only be for the smallest crop size allowed. He also had questions after business owners said on Thursday they were facing high rates because they had to renew all their licenses at once.
“I think we’re very close, but I think we just need a little bit of refinement to get that out of the door,” Morigeau said. “This is a big problem for Montana; we understand it, we appreciate it and we want to do it well. “
The Treasury Department already presented some proposed amendments to the rules during Thursday’s meeting, addressing some of the provisions that had been unpopular among marijuana companies. They loosened a provision that would have banned marijuana dispensaries from selling CBD oil and other hemp-derived products. They also pulled out a section that said criminal convictions or convictions could be grounds for suspending someone’s permission to work for a marijuana business. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
“We were pleased to see the reversal of those extremely restrictive regulations that obviously strayed far from the intent of the legislation,” said Pepper Petersen, president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild.
Ellsworth and Morigeau will speak with the department over the weekend. The committee will meet again on Monday, December 13, where they may decide to raise the informal objection.
The goal is for the regulations to be completed before Christmas, so that they can be in place for the start of adult marijuana sales on January 1st.
However, many people at Thursday’s meeting acknowledged that there will be more issues to deal with even after recreational sales begin.
“If history is a guide, I say we have sales starting in three weeks and we expect the unexpected,” said Kate Cholewa of the Montana Cannabis Industry Association.
You can find more information about the rule changes proposed by the Treasury Department here.
