Article XIV, § 2 — Marijuana legalization, regulation, and taxation
This text of Missouri Const. art. XIV, § 2 (Marijuana legalization, regulation, and taxation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
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1. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to make marijuana legal under state and local law for adults twenty-one years of age or older, and to control the commercial production and distribution of marijuana under a system that licenses, regulates, and taxes the businesses involved while protecting public health. The intent is to prevent arrest and penalty for personal possession and cultivation of limited amounts of marijuana by adults twenty-one years of age or older; remove the commercial production and distribution of marijuana from the illicit market; prevent revenue generated from commerce in marijuana from going to criminal enterprises; prevent the distribution of marijuana to persons under twenty-one years of age; prevent the diversion of marijuana to illicit markets; protect public health by ensuring the safety of marijuana and products containing marijuana; and ensure the security of marijuana facilities. To the fullest extent possible, this section shall be interpreted in accordance with the purpose and intent set forth in this section. This section is not intended to allow for the public use of marijuana, driving while under the influence of marijuana, the use of marijuana in the workplace, or the use of marijuana by persons under twenty-one years of age. 2. Definitions. (1) “Church” means a permanent building primarily and regularly used as a place of religious worship. (2) “Comprehensive facility” means a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility, comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility, or a comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility. (3) “Comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, cultivate, process, package, store on site or off site, transport to or from, and sell marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones) to a medical facility, comprehensive facility, or marijuana testing facility. A comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana. A comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls, but shall not include the manufacture of marijuana- infused products. (4) “Comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, process, package, store on site or off site, sell, transport to or from, and deliver marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones), marijuana-infused products, and drug paraphernalia used to administer marijuana as provided for in this section to a qualifying patient or primary caregiver, as those terms are defined in section 1 of this Article, or to a consumer, anywhere on the licensed property or to any address as directed by the patient, primary caregiver, or consumer and consistent with the limitations of this Article and as otherwise allowed by law, to a comprehensive facility, a marijuana testing facility, or a medical facility. Comprehensive dispensary facilities may receive transaction orders at the dispensary directly from the consumer in person, by phone, or via the internet, including from a third party. A comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana, but shall collect all appropriate tangible personal property sales tax for each sale, as set forth in this Article and provided for by general or local law. A comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls. (5) “Comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, process, package, store, manufacture, transport to or from a medical facility, comprehensive facility, or marijuana testing facility, and sell marijuana-infused products, prerolls, and infused prerolls to a marijuana dispensary facility, a marijuana testing facility, or another marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility. A comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana. (6) “Consumer” means a person who is at least twenty-one years of age. (7) “Daycare” means a child-care facility, as defined by section 210.20l, RSMo, or successor provisions, that is licensed by the state of Missouri. (8) “Department” means the department of health and senior services, or its successor agency. (9) “Entity” means a natural person, corporation, professional corporation, nonprofit corporation, cooperative corporation, unincorporated association, business trust, limited liability company, general or limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, or any other legal entity. (10) “Flowering plant” means a marijuana plant from the time it exhibits the first signs of sexual maturity through harvest. (11) “Infused preroll” means a consumable or smokable marijuana product, generally consisting of: (l) a wrap or paper, (2) dried flower, buds, and/or plant material, and (3) a concentrate, oil or other type of marijuana extract, either within or on the surface of the product. Infused prerolls may or may not include a filter or crutch at the base of the product. (12) “Local government” means, in the case of an incorporated area, a village,
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1. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to make marijuana legal under state and local law for adults twenty-one years of age or older, and to control the commercial production and distribution of marijuana under a system that licenses, regulates, and taxes the businesses involved while protecting public health. The intent is to prevent arrest and penalty for personal possession and cultivation of limited amounts of marijuana by adults twenty-one years of age or older; remove the commercial production and distribution of marijuana from the illicit market; prevent revenue generated from commerce in marijuana from going to criminal enterprises; prevent the distribution of marijuana to persons under twenty-one years of age; prevent the diversion of marijuana to illicit markets; protect public health by ensuring the safety of marijuana and products containing marijuana; and ensure the security of marijuana facilities. To the fullest extent possible, this section shall be interpreted in accordance with the purpose and intent set forth in this section. This section is not intended to allow for the public use of marijuana, driving while under the influence of marijuana, the use of marijuana in the workplace, or the use of marijuana by persons under twenty-one years of age. 2. Definitions. (1) “Church” means a permanent building primarily and regularly used as a place of religious worship. (2) “Comprehensive facility” means a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility, comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility, or a comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility. (3) “Comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, cultivate, process, package, store on site or off site, transport to or from, and sell marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones) to a medical facility, comprehensive facility, or marijuana testing facility. A comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana. A comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls, but shall not include the manufacture of marijuana- infused products. (4) “Comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, process, package, store on site or off site, sell, transport to or from, and deliver marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones), marijuana-infused products, and drug paraphernalia used to administer marijuana as provided for in this section to a qualifying patient or primary caregiver, as those terms are defined in section 1 of this Article, or to a consumer, anywhere on the licensed property or to any address as directed by the patient, primary caregiver, or consumer and consistent with the limitations of this Article and as otherwise allowed by law, to a comprehensive facility, a marijuana testing facility, or a medical facility. Comprehensive dispensary facilities may receive transaction orders at the dispensary directly from the consumer in person, by phone, or via the internet, including from a third party. A comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana, but shall collect all appropriate tangible personal property sales tax for each sale, as set forth in this Article and provided for by general or local law. A comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls. (5) “Comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, process, package, store, manufacture, transport to or from a medical facility, comprehensive facility, or marijuana testing facility, and sell marijuana-infused products, prerolls, and infused prerolls to a marijuana dispensary facility, a marijuana testing facility, or another marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility. A comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility need not segregate or account for its marijuana products as either non-medical marijuana or medical marijuana. (6) “Consumer” means a person who is at least twenty-one years of age. (7) “Daycare” means a child-care facility, as defined by section 210.20l, RSMo, or successor provisions, that is licensed by the state of Missouri. (8) “Department” means the department of health and senior services, or its successor agency. (9) “Entity” means a natural person, corporation, professional corporation, nonprofit corporation, cooperative corporation, unincorporated association, business trust, limited liability company, general or limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, or any other legal entity. (10) “Flowering plant” means a marijuana plant from the time it exhibits the first signs of sexual maturity through harvest. (11) “Infused preroll” means a consumable or smokable marijuana product, generally consisting of: (l) a wrap or paper, (2) dried flower, buds, and/or plant material, and (3) a concentrate, oil or other type of marijuana extract, either within or on the surface of the product. Infused prerolls may or may not include a filter or crutch at the base of the product. (12) “Local government” means, in the case of an incorporated area, a village, town, or city and, in the case of an unincorporated area, a county. (13) “Marijuana” or “marihuana” means Cannabis indica, Cannabis sativa, and Cannabis ruderalis, hybrids of such species, and any other strains commonly understood within the scientific community to constitute marijuana, as well as resin extracted from the marijuana plant and marijuana-infused products. “Marijuana” or “marihuana” do not include industrial hemp, as defined by Missouri statute, or commodities or products manufactured from industrial hemp. (14) “Marijuana accessories” means any equipment, product, material, or combination of equipment, products, or materials, which is specifically designed for use in planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana into the human body. (15) “Marijuana facility” means a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility, comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility, marijuana testing facility, comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility, microbusiness wholesale facility, microbusiness dispensary facility, or any other type of marijuana-related facility or business licensed or certified by the department pursuant to this section, but shall not include a medical facility licensed under section l of this Article. (16) “Marijuana-infused products” means products that are infused, dipped, coated, sprayed, or mixed with marijuana or an extract thereof, including, but not limited to, products that are able to be vaporized or smoked, edible products, ingestible products, topical products, suppositories, and infused prerolls. (17) “Marijuana microbusiness facility” means a facility licensed by the department as a microbusiness dispensary facility or microbusiness wholesale facility, as defined in this section. (18) “Microbusiness dispensary facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, process, package, store on site or off site, sell, transport to or from, and deliver marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones), marijuana-infused products, and drug paraphernalia used to administer marijuana as provided for in this section to a consumer, qualifying patient, as that term is defined in section 1 of this Article, or primary caregiver, as that term is defined in section l of this Article, anywhere on the licensed property or to any address as directed by the consumer, qualifying patient, or primary caregiver and, consistent with the limitations of this Article and as otherwise allowed by law, a microbusiness wholesale facility, or a marijuana testing facility. Microbusiness dispensary facilities may receive transaction orders at the dispensary directly from the consumer in person, by phone, or via the internet, including from a third party. A microbusiness dispensary facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls. (19) “Microbusiness wholesale facility” means a facility licensed by the department to acquire, cultivate, process, package, store on site or off site, manufacture, transport to or from, deliver, and sell marijuana, marijuana seeds, marijuana vegetative cuttings (also known as clones), and marijuana-infused products to a microbusiness dispensary facility, other microbusiness wholesale facility, or marijuana testing facility. A microbusiness wholesale facility may cultivate up to 250 flowering marijuana plants at any given time. A microbusiness wholesale facility’s authority to process marijuana shall include the creation of prerolls and infused prerolls. (20) “Marijuana testing facility” means a facility certified by the department to acquire, test, certify, and transport marijuana, including those originally certified as a medical marijuana testing facility. (21) “Owner” means an individual who has a financial (other than a security interest, lien, or encumbrance) or voting interest in ten percent or greater of a marijuana facility. (22) “Preroll” means a consumable or smokable marijuana product, generally consisting of: (l) a wrap or paper and (2) dried flower, buds, and/or plant material. Prerolls may or may not include a filter or crutch at the base of the product. (23) “Unduly burdensome” means that the measures necessary to comply with the rules or ordinances adopted pursuant to this section subject licensees or potential licensees to such a high investment of money, time, or any other resource or asset that a reasonably prudent businessperson would not operate the marijuana facility. 3. Limitations. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, this section does not preclude, limit, or affect laws that assign liability relative to, prohibit, or otherwise regulate: (a) Delivery or distribution of marijuana or marijuana accessories, with or without consideration, to a person younger than twenty-one years of age; (b) Purchase, possession, use, or transport of marijuana or marijuana accessories by a person younger than twenty-one years of age; (c) Consumption of marijuana by a person younger than twenty-one years of age; (d) Operating or being in physical control of any motor vehicle, train, aircraft, motorboat, or other motorized form of transport while under the influence of marijuana. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a conviction of a person who is at least twenty-one years of age for any applicable offenses shall require evidence that the person was in fact under the influence of marijuana at the time the person was in physical control of the motorized form of transport and not solely on the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or THC metabolites, or a combination thereof, in the person’s system; (e) Consumption of marijuana while operating or being in physical control of a motor vehicle, train, aircraft, motorboat, or other motorized form of transport while it is being operated; (f) Smoking marijuana within a motor vehicle, train, aircraft, motorboat, or other motorized form of transport while it is being operated; (g) Possession or consumption of marijuana or possession of marijuana accessories on the grounds of a public or private preschool, elementary or secondary school, institution of higher education, in a school bus, or on the grounds of any correctional facility; (h) Smoking marijuana in a location where smoking tobacco is prohibited; (i) Consumption of marijuana in a public place, other than in an area licensed by the authorities having jurisdiction over the licensing and/or permitting of said activity, as set forth in subsection 5 of this section; (j) Conduct that endangers others; (k) Undertaking any task while under the influence of marijuana, if doing so would constitute negligence, recklessness, or professional malpractice; or (l) Performing solvent-based extractions on marijuana using solvents other than water, glycerin, propylene glycol, vegetable oil, or food-grade ethanol, unless licensed for this activity by the department. (2) This section does not limit any privileges, rights, immunities, or defenses of a person or entity as provided in section l of this Article, or any other law of this state allowing for or regulating marijuana for medical use. (3) This section does not require an employer to permit or accommodate conduct otherwise allowed by this section in any workplace or on the employer’s property. This section does not prohibit an employer from disciplining an employee for working while under the influence of marijuana. This section does not prevent an employer from refusing to hire, discharging, disciplining, or otherwise taking an adverse employment action against a person with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because that person was working while under the influence of marijuana. (4) This section allows an entity to prohibit or otherwise limit the consumption, cultivation, distribution, processing, sale, or display of marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana accessories on private property the entity owns, leases, occupies, or manages, except that a lease agreement executed after the effective date of this section may not prohibit a tenant from lawfully possessing and consuming marijuana by means other than smoking. (5) The enactment of this section and all concurrent amendments to section 1 of this Article shall have no effect upon any valid contract, claim, or cause of action instituted prior to the effective date of this section. 4. Regulation of Marijuana. (1) In carrying out the implementation of this section and as conditioned herein, the department shall have the authority to: (a) Grant or refuse state licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, dispensing, and sale of marijuana; suspend, restrict, or revoke such licenses upon a violation of this section or a rule promulgated pursuant to this section; and impose any reasonable administrative penalty authorized by this section or any general law enacted or rule promulgated pursuant to this section, so long as any procedure related to a suspension or revocation includes a reasonable cure period, not less than thirty days, prior to the suspension or revocation, except in instances where there is a credible and imminent threat to public health or public safety; (b) Promulgate rules and emergency rules necessary for the proper regulation and control of the cultivation, manufacture, dispensing, and sale of marijuana and for the enforcement of this section so long as such rules are reasonable and not unduly burdensome; (c) Develop such forms, certificates, licenses, identification cards, and applications as are necessary for, or reasonably related to, the administration of this section or any of the rules promulgated under this section; (d) Require a seed-to-sale tracking system that tracks marijuana from either the seed or immature plant stage until the marijuana or marijuana-infused product is sold to a qualified patient, primary caregiver, or consumer to ensure that no marijuana grown by a medical marijuana cultivation facility, comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility, or microbusiness wholesale facility, or manufactured by a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility, a comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility, or a microbusiness wholesale facility is sold or otherwise transferred to a consumer, qualified patient, or primary caregiver except by a medical marijuana dispensary facility, a comprehensive dispensary facility, or a microbusiness dispensary facility. The department shall certify all commercially available tracking systems that are compliant with its tracking standards and issue standards for the creation or use of other systems by licensees; (e) Issue standards for the secure transportation of marijuana and marijuana-infused products. The department shall certify entities that demonstrate compliance with its transportation standards to transport marijuana and marijuana-infused products to or from a comprehensive facility, medical facility, microbusiness facility, another entity with a transportation certification, or any entity licensed pursuant to paragraph (g) of this subdivision. The department shall develop or adopt from any other governmental agency such safety and security standards as are reasonably necessary for the transportation and temporary storage of marijuana and marijuana-infused products. Any entity licensed or certified pursuant to this section shall be allowed to transport its own inventory and products in compliance with department transportation rules and store marijuana and marijuana-infused products for the purposes related to transportation in compliance with department regulations on secure storage of marijuana and marijuana- infused products; (f) Promulgate rules and emergency rules specific to the licensing, regulation, and oversight of marijuana microbusiness facilities; (g) Provide for the issuance of additional types or classes of licenses to operate marijuana-related businesses that: a. Allow for only transportation, delivery, or storage of marijuana; or b. Are intended to facilitate scientific research or education. (h) Prepare and transmit annually a publicly available report accounting to the governor, the general assembly, and the public for the efficient discharge of all responsibilities assigned to the department under this section. The report shall provide aggregate data for each type of license (medical, comprehensive, and microbusiness) and facility (dispensary, cultivation, manufacturers, wholesalers). Only non-identifying information shall be provided regarding any marijuana facility owners; (i) Establish a lottery selection process to select comprehensive facility licenses, certificate holders, marijuana microbusiness licensees, but not medical facility licensees that are converting to comprehensive licenses pursuant to this subsection. To become eligible for any license lottery selection process, an owner cannot have pleaded guilty or been found guilty of a disqualifying felony, as that term is defined in subsection 9 of this section. (j) In developing a lottery selection process to award licenses and certificates, the department may consult or contract with other public agencies with relevant expertise. (k) While not required as a prerequisite to participation in a comprehensive license lottery, every comprehensive license applicant shall submit to the department a voluntary plan to promote and encourage participation in the regulated marijuana industry by people from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition. The plan may include strategies to address geographical defined communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition; provide for ownership opportunities for disproportionately impacted communities; and provide for employment, supplier, and vendor opportunities for individuals and businesses in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition. If licensed, any voluntary applicant plan shall be enforceable by the department. (l) Notwithstanding other grants of authority herein, neither the department nor any governmental body may restrict the production or use of marijuana and marijuana- infused products based solely upon THC content. (m) Set a limit on the amount of marijuana that may be purchased in a single transaction provided that limit is not less than three ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana, or its equivalent. (n) Regulate the advertising and promotion of marijuana sales, but any such regulation shall be no more stringent than comparable state regulations on the advertising and promotion of alcohol sales. (2) The department shall issue, at a minimum, the same number of comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility licenses as were authorized or issued for medical marijuana cultivation facilities under section 1 of this Article as of December 7, 2022, the same number of comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility licenses as were authorized or issued for medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facilities under section 1 of this Article as of December 7, 2022, the same number of comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility licenses with the same congressional distribution requirements as were authorized or issued for medical marijuana dispensary facilities under section l of this Article as of December 7, 2022, in addition to the minimum number of marijuana microbusiness licenses as are required under this section. The department may lift or ease any limit on the number of licensees or certificate holders in order to meet the demand for marijuana in the state and to ensure a competitive market while also preventing an over-concentration of marijuana facilities within the boundaries of any particular local government. (3) If comprehensive facility licenses become available because the number of total issued licenses in any respective category falls below the minimum required under this section or the department determines more comprehensive facility licenses are necessary to meet the requirements of subdivision (2) of this subsection, the department shall award by lottery at least fifty percent of any new licenses available to satisfy the minimum requirement to applicants who are owners of a marijuana microbusiness facility that has been in operation for at least one year and is in good standing with the department and is otherwise qualified for the license. (4) The department may issue any rules or emergency rules necessary for the implementation and enforcement of this section and to ensure the right to, availability, and safe use of marijuana by consumers. In developing such rules or emergency rules, the department may consult or contract with other public agencies. In addition to any other rules or emergency rules necessary to carry out the mandates of this section, the department shall issue rules or emergency rules relating to the following subjects: (a) Procedures for issuing a license and for renewing, suspending, and revoking a license, so long as any procedure related to a suspension or revocation includes a reasonable cure period, not less than thirty days, prior to the suspension or revocation, except in instances where there is a credible and imminent threat to public health or public safety; (b) Requirements and standards for safe cultivation, processing, and distribution of marijuana and marijuana-infused products by marijuana facilities, including health standards to ensure the safe preparation of marijuana-infused products; (c) Testing, packaging, and labeling standards, procedures, and requirements for marijuana and marijuana-infused products and a requirement that a representative sample of marijuana be tested by a marijuana testing facility to ensure public health; (d) Labeling standards that protect public health by requiring the listing of pharmacologically active ingredients, including, but not limited to, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoid content, the THC and other cannabinoid amount in milligrams per serving, the number of servings per package, and quantity limits per sale to comply with the allowable possession amount; (e) Requirements that packaging and labels shall not be made to be attractive to children, required warning labels, and that marijuana and marijuana-infused products be sold in resealable, child-resistant packaging to protect public health; (f) Security requirements, including lighting, physical security, and alarm requirements, and requirements for securely transporting marijuana between marijuana facilities; (g) Record keeping requirements for marijuana facilities and monitoring requirements to track the transfer of marijuana by licensees; (h) A plan to promote and encourage ownership and employment in the marijuana industry by people from political subdivisions and districts that are economically distressed and to positively impact those political subdivisions and districts; (i) Administrative penalties as authorized by this section for failure to comply with any rule promulgated pursuant to this section or for any violation of rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section by a licensee, including authorized administrative fines and suspension, revocation, or restriction of a license. The licensee may choose to challenge any penalties imposed by the department through the administrative hearing commission, or its successor entity. Pursuant to section 536. l00, RSMo, or its successor provisions, any licensee who has exhausted all administrative remedies provided by law and who is aggrieved by a final decision in a contested case is entitled to judicial review; (j) Reporting and transmittal of tax payments required under this section; (k) Authorization for the department of revenue to have access to licensing information to ensure tax payment and the effective administration of this section; and (l) Such other matters as are necessary for the fair, impartial, stringent, and comprehensive administration of this section. (5) The department shall issue rules or emergency rules for a marijuana and marijuana-¬infused products independent testing and certification program for marijuana facility licensees and requiring licensees to test marijuana using one or more impartial, independent laboratory or laboratories to ensure, at a minimum, correct labeling, potency measurement, and that products sold for human consumption do not contain contaminants that are potentially injurious to public health. (6) The department shall issue rules or emergency rules to provide for the certification of and standards for marijuana testing facilities, including the requirements for equipment and qualifications for personnel, but shall not require certificate holders to have any federal agency licensing or have any relationship with a federally licensed testing facility. No marijuana testing facility shall be owned by an entity or entities under substantially common control, ownership, or management as a marijuana cultivation facility, marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility, marijuana microbusiness facility, or marijuana dispensary facility. (7) All public records produced or retained pursuant to this section are subject to the general provisions of the Missouri Sunshine Law, chapter 610, RSMo, or its successor provisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, public records containing proprietary business information obtained from an applicant or licensee shall be closed. The applicant or licensee shall label business information it believes to be proprietary prior to submitting it to the department. Proprietary business information shall include sales information, financial records, tax returns, credit reports, license applications, cultivation information unrelated to product safety, testing results unrelated to product safety, site security information and plans, and individualized consumer information. The presence of proprietary business information shall not justify the closure of public records: (a) Identifying the applicant or licensee; (b) Relating to any citation, notice of violation, tax delinquency, or other enforcement action; (c) Relating to any public official’s support or opposition relative to any applicant, licensee, or their proposed or actual operations; (d) Where disclosure is reasonably necessary for the protection of public health or safety; or (e) That are otherwise subject to public inspection under applicable law. (8) Within one hundred and eighty days of the effective date of this section, the department shall make available to the public license application forms and application instructions for marijuana microbusiness facilities. Within two hundred and seventy days of the effective date of this section, the department shall start accepting such applications from applicants. (9) An entity may apply to the department for and obtain one or more licenses to grow marijuana as a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility. Each facility in operation shall require a separate license, but multiple licenses may be utilized in a single facility. Each indoor facility utilizing artificial lighting may be limited by the department to thirty thousand square feet of flowering plant canopy space. Each outdoor facility utilizing natural lighting may be limited by the department to two thousand eight hundred flowering plants. Each greenhouse facility using a combination of natural and artificial lighting may be limited by the department, at the election of the licensee, to two thousand eight hundred flowering plants or thirty thousand square feet of flowering plant canopy. The license shall be valid for three years from its date of issuance and shall be renewable, except for good cause. The department shall charge each applicant a non-refundable fee of twelve thousand dollars per license application or renewal for all applicants filing an application within three years of the effective date of this section and shall charge each applicant a non-refundable fee of five thousand dollars per license application or renewal thereafter. Once granted, the department shall charge each licensee an annual fee of twenty-five thousand dollars per facility license. Application and license fees shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. An entity may not be an owner of more than ten percent of the total marijuana cultivation facility licenses outstanding under both sections 1 and 2 of this Article at any given time, rounded down to the nearest whole number. (10) An entity may apply to the department for and obtain one or more licenses to operate a comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility. Each facility in operation shall require a separate license. A license shall be valid for three years from its date of issuance and shall be renewable, except for good cause. The department shall charge each applicant a non-refundable fee of seven thousand dollars per license application or renewal for each applicant filing an application within three years of the effective date of this section and shall charge each applicant a non-refundable fee of three thousand dollars per license application or renewal thereafter. Once granted, the department shall charge each licensee an annual fee of ten thousand dollars per facility license. Application and license fees shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. An entity may not be an owner of more than ten percent of the total marijuana dispensary facility licenses outstanding under both sections l and 2 of this Article at any given time, rounded down to the nearest whole number. (11) An entity may apply to the department for and obtain one or more licenses to operate a comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility. Each facility in operation shall require a separate license. A license shall be valid for three years from its date of issuance and shall be renewable, except for good cause. The department shall charge each applicant a non-refundable fee of seven thousand dollars per license application or renewal for each applicant filing an application within three years of the effective date of this section and shall charge each applicant a non- refundable fee of three thousand dollars per license application or renewal thereafter. Once granted, the department shall charge each licensee an annual fee of ten thousand dollars per facility license. Application and license fees shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. An entity may not be an owner of more than ten percent of the total marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility licenses outstanding under both sections l and 2 of this Article at any given time, rounded down to the nearest whole number. (12) An entity may apply to the department for and obtain only one license to operate a marijuana microbusiness facility, which may be either a microbusiness dispensary facility or a microbusiness wholesale facility. A marijuana microbusiness facility licensee may engage in all of the activities allowed under the license or it may apply for and engage in a subset of the activities allowed if the applicant or license holder so chooses. A microbusiness wholesale facility may cultivate, process, manufacture, transport, and sell marijuana and marijuana-infused products to any other marijuana microbusiness facility. A microbusiness dispensary facility licensee may acquire from any other microbusiness facility, process, package, deliver, and sell marijuana and marijuana-infused products to any other marijuana microbusiness facility, or directly to qualified patients, their primary caregiver, or consumers. A marijuana microbusiness license shall be valid for three years from its date of issuance and shall be renewable, except for good cause. The department shall charge each applicant a fee of one thousand five hundred dollars per license application and for each subsequent license renewal application thereafter. Any applicant that meets the criteria to apply for a marijuana microbusiness facility license but is not chosen by the lottery system may have their application fee refunded. Once granted, the department shall charge each licensee an annual fee of one thousand five hundred dollars per facility license, but there shall be no annual fee assessed for the first year of licensure. Application and license fees shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. An entity may not be an owner of more than one marijuana microbusiness facility license. An owner of a marijuana microbusiness facility may not also be an owner of another licensed marijuana facility or medical facility regulated under this Article. However, the owner of a marijuana microbusiness facility may apply for a license or licenses for other marijuana or medical marijuana facilities under this Article. If granted one or more of these licenses, the marijuana microbusiness facility owner shall transition to other licensed operations on a reasonably practical timetable established by the department, and surrender its marijuana microbusiness facility license to the department for issuance to an applicant for a marijuana microbusiness facility. In addition to other requirements established by this section, an applicant for a marijuana microbusiness license shall be majority owned by individuals who each meet at least one of the following qualifications: (a) Have a net worth of less than $250,000 and have had an income below two hundred and fifty percent of the federal poverty level, or successor level, as set forth in the applicable calendar year’s federal poverty income guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or its successor agency, for at least three of the ten calendar years prior to applying for a marijuana microbusiness facility license; or (b) Have a valid service-connected disability card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or successor agency; or (c) Be a person who has been, or a person whose parent, guardian or spouse has been arrested for, prosecuted for, or convicted of a non-violent marijuana offense, except for a conviction involving provision of marijuana to a minor, or a conviction of driving under the influence of marijuana. The arrest, charge, or conviction must have occurred at least one year prior to the effective date of this section; or (d) Reside in a ZIP code or census track area where: a. Thirty percent or more of the population lives below the federal poverty level; or b. The rate of unemployment is fifty percent higher than the state average rate of unemployment; or c. The historic rate of incarceration for marijuana-related offenses is fifty percent higher than the rate for the entire state; or (e) Graduated from a school district that was unaccredited, or had a similar successor designation, at the time of graduation, or has lived in a zip code containing an unaccredited school district, or similar successor designation, for three of the past five years. (13) The department may restrict the aggregate number of licenses granted for marijuana microbusiness facilities, provided, however, that the number may not be limited to fewer than the following number of licenses in each United States congressional district in the state of Missouri pursuant to the map of each of the eight congressional districts as drawn and effective on December 6, 2018: (a) Six, once the department begins issuing licenses for marijuana microbusiness facilities under this subsection, at least two of which shall be a microbusiness dispensary facility, and at least four of which will be a microbusiness wholesale facility. The department shall issue the first group of microbusiness licenses no later than three hundred days after the effective date of this section; (b) An additional six following the first two hundred and seventy days after the department begins issuing licenses for marijuana microbusiness facilities under this subsection, at least two of which shall be a microbusiness dispensary facility, and at least four of which will be a microbusiness wholesale facility, but only after the chief equity officer, or his or her designee, conducts a review and certifies that previous microbusiness licenses were awarded to and are being operated by eligible applicants in good standing; and (c) An additional six after the first five hundred and forty-eight days after the department begins issuing licenses for marijuana microbusiness facilities under this subsection, at least two of which shall be a microbusiness dispensary facility, and at least four of which will be a microbusiness wholesale facility, but only after the chief equity officer, or his or her designee, conducts a review and certifies that previous microbusiness licenses were awarded to and are being operated in good standing by eligible applicants. Future changes to the boundaries or the number of congressional districts shall have no impact on microbusiness license numbers or distribution. The eligibility review set forth in this subdivision shall be conducted by the chief equity officer within sixty days of issuance of the licenses. The chief equity officer shall publish in a manner available to the public the results of the review that contains only aggregate information on licensee eligibility criteria. (14) Within 60 days after the effective date of this section, the department shall appoint a chief equity officer. The chief equity officer shall assist with the development and implementation of programs to inform the public of the opportunities available to those people who meet the criteria set forth in paragraph (12) of this subsection. The chief equity officer shall establish public education programming and targeted technical assistance programming dedicated to providing communities that have been impacted by marijuana prohibition with information detailing the licensing process and informing individuals of the support and resources that the office can provide to individuals and entities interested in participating in activity licensed under this Article. The chief equity officer shall provide a report to the department, no later than January l, 2024, and annually thereafter, of their and the department’s activities in ensuring compliance with the applicant criteria set forth in paragraph (12) of this subsection, and the department shall provide such report to the legislature. The chief equity officer may only be removed for cause and the department shall not interfere with the officer’s lawful official activities under this section. (15) Any medical marijuana cultivation facility, medical marijuana dispensary facility, and medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility, holding an active facility license under section 1 of this Article shall have the right to convert their license to a comprehensive marijuana license, and any entity certified by the department to conduct medical marijuana testing, transportation or seed-to-sale tracking, as of the effective date of this section shall be deemed certified to conduct those activities with respect to all marijuana; (16) Upon the effective date of this section, any existing medical facility licensee may request its medical facility license convert to that of a comprehensive facility license. Conversion requests not processed within sixty days of department receipt shall be deemed approved. (17) With the exception of microbusiness licenses, and consistent with any limitations set forth in this section, for the first five hundred and forty-eight days after the department begins issuing licenses for marijuana facilities under this section, the department may only issue a license: (a) For a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility to an entity holding a medical marijuana cultivation facility license issued pursuant to section l of this Article seeking to convert its licensure to that of a comprehensive marijuana cultivation facility at the same location; (b) For a comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility to an entity holding a medical marijuana dispensary facility license issued pursuant to section 1 of this Article seeking to convert its licensure to that of a comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility at the same location; and (c) For a comprehensive marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility to an entity holding a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility license issued pursuant to section l of this Article seeking to convert its licensure to that of a comprehensive marijuana¬infused products manufacturing facility at the same location. (18) The department shall issue a license to each request for a conversion to a comprehensive marijuana facility license pursuant to subdivision (15) of this subsection if the applicant is in good standing with the department. (19) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of this Article, if an existing medical marijuana dispensary facility is located in a jurisdiction that prohibits non-medical retail marijuana facilities under this section, or is otherwise prevented from operating a comprehensive marijuana dispensary facility at the same location as the existing medical marijuana dispensary facility, the medical marijuana dispensary facility may apply to the department for a comprehensive marijuana dispensary license pursuant to subdivision (15) of this subsection in a new location within the same congressional district, and such application shall be granted so long as the new location meets all the requirements of this section and department regulations. (20) In addition to the foregoing, if the department has reason to believe that the conversion of a medical facility into a comprehensive facility might limit or restrict access to an adequate supply of marijuana and marijuana-infused products at a reasonable cost to qualifying patients, as defined in section l of this Article, the department may request a plan from the medical facility licensee which explains how the applicant would serve both the medical and adult-use markets, while maintaining adequate supply at a reasonable cost to qualifying patients. (21) Comprehensive marijuana facilities licensed to distribute marijuana, marijuana--infused products, and marijuana accessories directly to consumers pursuant to this section may also distribute marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana accessories to qualifying patients and primary caregivers consistent with section 1 of this Article and department regulation. (22) The department may charge a fee not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars for any certification issued pursuant to this section. This fee limitation shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. (23) Within thirty days of December 8, 2022, the department shall make available to the public application forms and application instructions for personal cultivation registration cards. Within sixty days of December 8, 2022, the department shall begin accepting applications for such registration cards. (24) Except for good cause, a person at least twenty-one years of age may obtain a registration card from the department to cultivate up to six flowering marijuana plants, six nonflowering marijuana plants (over fourteen inches tall), and six clones (plants under fourteen inches tall) for non-commercial use, provided: (a) The plants and any marijuana produced by the plants in excess of three ounces are kept at one private residence, are in a locked space, and are not visible by normal, unaided vision from a public place; and (b) Not more than twelve flowering marijuana plants are kept in or on the grounds of a private residence at one time. The card shall be valid for twelve months from its date of issuance and shall be renewable. The department shall charge an annual fee for the card of one hundred dollars, with such rate to be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency. (25) All marijuana sold in Missouri pursuant to this section shall be cultivated in Missouri. (26) All marijuana-infused products sold in Missouri pursuant to this section shall be manufactured in Missouri. (27) The denial of a license or license renewal by the department shall be appealable. The applicant may choose to challenge any denial by the department through the administrative hearing commission, or successor entity. Pursuant to section 536.l00, RSMo, or its successor provisions, any licensee who has exhausted all administrative remedies provided by law and who is aggrieved by a final decision in a contested case is entitled to judicial review. (28) No elected official shall interfere directly or indirectly with the department’s obligations and activities under this section. (29) To minimize the potential for undue political influence in awarding licenses, the department shall review license applications using reasonable safeguards that ensure the identity of the applicant and its principal owners, officers, and managers are not identified to the application reviewer. (30) To ensure the consistent protection of public health and public safety, the department shall have the sole authority within the state of Missouri to issue licenses for marijuana facilities and certifications pursuant to this section. (31) The department shall not have the authority to promulgate, apply, or enforce any rule or regulation that is unduly burdensome or act to undermine the purposes of this section. 5. Local Control. (1) (a) Except as provided in this subsection, a local government may prohibit the operation of all microbusiness dispensary facilities or comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities regulated under this section from being located within its jurisdiction either through referral of a ballot question to the voters by the governing body or through citizen petition, provided that citizen petitions are otherwise generally authorized by the laws of the local government. Such a ballot question shall be voted on only during the regularly scheduled general election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of a presidential election year, starting in 2024, thereby minimizing additional local governmental cost or expense. A citizen petition to put before the voters a ballot question prohibiting microbusiness dispensary facilities or comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities shall be signed by at least five percent of the qualified voters in the area proposed to be subject to the prohibition, determined on the basis of the number of votes cast for governor in such locale at the last gubernatorial election held prior to the filing of the petition. The local government shall count the petition signatures and give legal notice of the election as provided by applicable law. Denial of ballot access shall be subject to judicial review. (b) Whether submitted by the governing body or by citizen’s petition, the question shall be submitted in the following form: “Shall (insert name of local government) ban all non-¬medical microbusiness dispensary facilities and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities from being located within (insert name of local government and, where applicable, its “unincorporated areas”) and forgo any additional related local tax revenue? ( ) Yes ( ) No.” If at least sixty percent of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the question, then the ban shall go into effect as provided by law. If a question receives less than the required sixty percent, then the jurisdiction shall have no power to ban non-medical microbusiness dispensary facilities or comprehensive marijuana facilities regulated under this section, unless voters at a subsequent general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of a presidential election year approve a ban on non-medical retail marijuana facilities submitted to them by the governing body or by citizen petition. (2) (a) A local government may repeal an existing ban by its own ordinance or by a vote of the people, either through referral of a ballot question to the voters by the governing body or through citizen petition, provided that citizen petitions are otherwise generally authorized by the laws of the local government. In the case of a referral of a ballot question by the governing body or citizen petition to repeal an existing ban, the question shall be voted on only during the regularly scheduled general election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of a presidential election year. A citizen petition to put before the voters a ballot question repealing an existing ban shall be signed by at least five percent of the qualified voters in the area subject to the ban, determined on the basis of the number of votes cast for governor in such locale at the last gubernatorial election held prior to the filing of the petition. The local government shall count the petition signatures and give legal notice of the election as provided by applicable law. Denial of ballot access shall be subject to judicial review. (b) Whether submitted by the governing body or by citizen’s petition, the question shall be submitted in the following form: “Shall (insert name of local government) allow non-medical microbusiness dispensary facilities and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities to be located within (insert name of local government and where applicable, its “unincorporated areas”) as regulated by state law? ( ) Yes ( ) No.” If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the question, then the ban shall be repealed. (3) The only local government ordinances and regulations that are binding on a marijuana facility are those of the local government where the marijuana facility is located. (4) Unless allowed by the local government, no new marijuana facility shall be initially sited within one thousand feet of any then-existing elementary or secondary school, child day-care center, or church. In the case of a freestanding facility, the distance between the facility and the school, daycare, or church shall be measured from the external wall of the facility structure closest in proximity to the school, daycare, or church to the closest point of the property line of the school, daycare, or church. If the school, daycare, or church is part of a larger structure, such as an office building or strip mall, the distance shall be measured to the entrance or exit of the school, daycare, or church closest in proximity to the facility. In the case of a facility that is part of a larger structure, such as an office building or strip mall, the distance between the facility and the school, daycare, or church shall be measured from the property line of the school, daycare, or church to the facility’s entrance or exit closest in proximity to the school, daycare, or church. If the school, daycare, or church is part of a larger structure, such as an office building or strip mall, the distance shall be measured to the entrance or exit of the school, daycare, or church closest in proximity to the facility. Measurements shall be made along the shortest path between the demarcation points that can be lawfully traveled by foot. (5) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no local government shall prohibit marijuana facilities or entities with a transportation certification either expressly or through the enactment of ordinances or regulations that make their operation unduly burdensome in the jurisdiction. However, local governments may enact ordinances or regulations not in conflict with this section, or with regulations enacted pursuant to this section, governing the time, place, and manner of operation of such facilities in the locality. A local government may establish civil penalties for violation of an ordinance or regulations governing the time, place, and manner of operation of a marijuana facility or entity holding a transportation certification that may operate in such locality. (6) Local governments may enact ordinances or regulations not in conflict with this section, or with regulations enacted pursuant to this section, governing: (a) The time and place where marijuana may be smoked in public areas within the locality; and (b) The consumption of marijuana-infused products within designated areas, including the preparation of culinary dishes or beverages by local restaurants for on-site consumption on the same day it is prepared. 6. Taxation and Reporting. (1) A tax shall be levied upon the retail sale of non-medical marijuana sold to consumers at marijuana facilities licensed pursuant to this section within the state. The tax shall be at a rate of six percent of the retail price. The tax shall be collected by each licensed retail marijuana facility and paid to the department of revenue. After retaining no more than two percent of the total tax collected or its actual collection costs, whichever is less, amounts generated by the marijuana tangible personal property retail sales tax levied in this section shall be deposited by the department of revenue into the veterans, health, and community reinvestment fund created under this subsection. Licensed entities making non-medical retail sales within the state shall be allowed approved credit for returns provided the tax was paid on the returned item and the purchaser was given the refund or credit. This tax shall not apply to medical marijuana dispensed to a registered qualifying patient or caregiver. (2) There is hereby created in the state treasury the “Veterans, Health, and Community Reinvestment Fund” which shall consist of taxes and fees collected under this section. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund, and he or she shall invest monies in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any monies remaining in the fund at the end of a biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The commissioner of administration is authorized to make cash operating transfers to the fund for purposes of meeting the cash requirements of the department in advance of it receiving application, licensing, and tax revenue, with any such transfers to be repaid as provided by law. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and shall be distributed as follows: (a) First, as determined by appropriation, to the department an amount necessary for the department to carry out its responsibilities under this section, including repayment of any cash operating transfers, payments made through contract or agreement with other state and public agencies necessary to carry out this section, and a reserve fund to maintain a reasonable working cash balance for the purpose of carrying out this section; (b) Second, as determined by appropriation, to governmental entities in amounts necessary for carrying out responsibilities in the expungement of criminal history records under this section; (c) Next, the remaining fund balance shall be distributed in thirds as follows: a. One-third of the remainder of the fund balance shall be transferred to the Missouri veterans commission and allied state agencies, as determined by appropriation, exclusively for health care and other services for military veterans and their dependent families; b. One-third of the remainder of the fund balance to the department to provide grants to agencies and not-for-profit organizations, whether government or community-based, to increase access to evidence-based low-barrier drug addiction treatment, prioritizing medically proven treatment and overdose prevention and reversal methods and public or private treatment options with an emphasis on reintegrating recipients into their local communities, to support overdose prevention education, and to support job placement, housing, and counseling for those with substance use disorders. Agencies and organizations serving populations with the highest rates of drug-related overdose shall be prioritized to receive the grants; and c. One-third of the remainder of the fund balance to the Missouri public defender system. Any moneys credited to the Missouri public defender system shall be used only for legal assistance for low-income Missourians, shall not be diverted to any other purpose. (d) All monies from the taxes and fees authorized hereunder shall provide new and additional funding for the purposes enumerated above and shall not replace existing funding. (e) The unexpended balance existing in the fund shall be exempt from the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, or its successor provisions, relating to the transfer of unexpended balances to the general revenue fund. (3) For all retail sales of marijuana, a record shall be kept by the seller of all amounts and types of marijuana involved in the sale and the total amount of money involved in the sale, including itemizations, taxes collected, and grand total sale amounts. All such records shall be kept on the premises in a readily available format and be made available for review by the department and the department of revenue upon request. Such records shall be retained for five years from the date of the sale. (4) The tax levied pursuant to this subsection is separate from and in addition to any general state and local sales and use taxes that apply to retail sales, which shall continue to be collected and distributed as provided by general law. (5) Pursuant to Article III, Section 49 of this Constitution, the governing body of any local government is authorized to impose, by ordinance or order, an additional sales tax in an amount not to exceed three percent on all tangible personal property retail sales of adult use marijuana sold in such political subdivision. The tax authorized by this paragraph shall be in addition to any and all other tangible personal property retail sales taxes allowed by law, except that no ordinance or order imposing a tangible personal property retail sales tax under the provisions of this paragraph shall be effective unless the governing body of the political subdivision submits to the voters of the political subdivision, at a municipal, county or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the governing body of the political subdivision to impose a tax. Any additional local retail sales tax shall be collected pursuant to general laws for the collection of local sales taxes. (6) Except as authorized in this Article, no additional taxes shall be imposed on the sale of marijuana. (7) The fees and taxes provided for in this section shall be fully enforceable notwithstanding any other provision in this Constitution purportedly prohibiting or restricting the taxes and fees provided for herein. (8) For taxpayers authorized to do business pursuant to this Article, the amount that would have been deducted in the computation of federal taxable income pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code as in effect on January 1, 2021, or successor provisions, but is disallowed because cannabis is a controlled substance under federal law, shall be subtracted from the taxpayer’s federal adjusted gross income, in determining the taxpayer’s Missouri adjusted gross income. 7. Additional Protections. (1) A marijuana testing facility shall not be subject to civil or criminal prosecution under Missouri law, denial of any right or privilege, civil or administrative penalty or sanction, or disciplinary action by any accreditation or licensing board or commission for providing laboratory testing services that relate to marijuana consistent with this section and otherwise meeting legal standards of professional conduct. (2) Notwithstanding any provision of Article V to the contrary, an attorney shall not be subject to disciplinary action by the Supreme Court of Missouri, the office of chief disciplinary counsel, the state bar association, any state agency or any professional licensing body for any of the following: (a) Owning, operating, investing in, being employed by, or contracting with prospective or licensed marijuana testing facilities, marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana dispensary facilities, marijuana-infused products manufacturing facilities, marijuana microbusiness facilities, or transportation certificate holders; (b) Counseling, advising, and/or assisting a client in conduct permitted by Missouri law that may violate or conflict with federal or other law, as long as the attorney advises the client about that federal or other law and its potential consequences; (c) Counseling, advising, and/or assisting a client in connection with applying for, owning, operating, or otherwise having any legal, equitable, or beneficial interest in marijuana testing facilities, marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana dispensary facilities, marijuana-¬infused products manufacturing facilities, marijuana microbusiness facilities, or transportation certificates; or (d) Counseling, advising or assisting a qualifying patient, primary caregiver, physician, nurse practitioner, health care provider, consumer, or other client related to activity that is no longer subject to criminal penalties under Missouri law pursuant to this Article. (3) Actions and conduct by marijuana facilities licensed or otherwise certified by the department, or their employees or agents, as permitted by this section and in compliance with department regulations and other standards of legal conduct, shall not be subject to criminal or civil liability or sanctions under Missouri law, except as provided for by this section. (4) The department may not promulgate a rule that requires a consumer to provide a marijuana facility with identifying information other than identification to determine the consumer’s age. (5) It is the public policy of the state of Missouri that contracts related to marijuana that are entered into by marijuana facilities and those who allow property to be used by those entities should be enforceable. It is the public policy of the state of Missouri that no contract entered into by marijuana facilities, or by a person who allows property to be used for activities that are exempt from state criminal penalties by this section, shall be unenforceable on the basis that activities related to marijuana may be prohibited by federal law. (6) Prior to requesting a search or arrest warrant relating to cultivation of marijuana plants, a state or local law enforcement official shall verify with the department whether the targeted person holds a registration card allowing for cultivation of flowering marijuana plants under this section, and shall inform the issuing authority when making the warrant request. Evidence of marijuana alone, without specific evidence indicating that the marijuana is outside of what is lawful for medical or adult use, cannot be the basis for a search of a patient or non-patient, including their home, vehicle or other property. Lawful marijuana related activities cannot be the basis for a violation of parole, probation, or any type of supervised release. State and local law enforcement shall have access to such department information as is necessary to confirm whether the targeted person holds a registration card. Each time a state or local law enforcement officer executes a search warrant authorizing entry upon premises for an alleged marijuana offense, the officer must first knock or announce their presence or purpose prior to entering the premises. (7) (a) After executing a search warrant for an alleged marijuana offense, or conducting a warrantless search for an alleged marijuana offense, the officer shall report the following information to the agency that employs the officer: a. The reasons for the warrant or, in the case of a warrantless search, a detailed account of either the probable cause or exigent circumstances, if any, which lead to the warrantless search; b. Whether any marijuana was discovered during the course of the search; c. Whether any marijuana was seized during the search, and if so, the amount seized; d. Whether any other contraband was discovered or seized in the course of the search, and if seized, a description of the contraband; e. A description of the tactics used by law enforcement to enter the property; f. Whether an arrest was made as a result of the search; and g. If an arrest was made, the crime suspected. (b) Each law enforcement agency shall compile the data described in paragraph (a) of this subdivision for the calendar year into a report and shall submit the report to the attorney general no later than March first of the following calendar year. The attorney general shall determine the format that all law enforcement agencies shall use to submit the report. (c) The attorney general shall submit a summary of the annual reports of law enforcement agencies to the governor, the general assembly, and each law enforcement agency no later than June first of each year. The summary shall include the total number of such warrants executed by each agency in the previous calendar year for alleged marijuana offenses, and a compilation of the information reported by law enforcement agencies pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision. 8. Legislation. Nothing in this section shall limit the general assembly from enacting laws consistent with the purposes and provisions of this section. 9. Additional Provisions. (1) No owner of a marijuana facility or entity with a transportation certification shall be an individual with a disqualifying felony offense. A “disqualifying felony offense” is a violation of, and conviction or guilty plea to, state or federal law that is, or would have been, a felony under Missouri law, regardless of the sentence imposed, unless the department determines that: (a) The person’s conviction was for a marijuana offense that has been expunged or is currently eligible for expungement under this section; or (b) The person’s conviction was for a non-violent crime for which he or she was not incarcerated and that is more than five years old; or (c) More than five years have passed since the person was released from parole or probation, and he or she has not been convicted of any subsequent felony criminal offenses. The department may consult with and rely on the records, advice, and recommendations of the attorney general and the department of public safety, or their successor entities, in carrying out the provisions of this subdivision. (2) Owners licensed pursuant to this section shall submit fingerprints to the Missouri state highway patrol for the purpose of conducting a state and federal fingerprint-based criminal record check in accordance with U.S. Public Law 92-544, or its successor provisions. The Missouri state highway patrol, if necessary, shall forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the purpose of conducting a fingerprint-based criminal background check. Fingerprints shall be submitted pursuant to section 43.543, RSMo, or its successor provisions, and fees shall be paid pursuant to section 43.530, RSMo, or its successor provisions. Unless otherwise required by law, no individual shall be required to submit fingerprints more than once. (3) No marijuana facility shall manufacture, package, or label marijuana or marijuana-¬infused products in a false or misleading manner. No person shall sell any product in a manner designed to cause confusion between marijuana or a marijuana- infused product and any product not containing marijuana. A violation of this subdivision shall be punishable by an appropriate and proportional department sanction, up to and including an administrative penalty of five thousand dollars and loss of license. (4) No marijuana facility may sell edible marijuana-infused candy in shapes or packages that are attractive to children or that are easily confused with commercially sold candy that does not contain marijuana. A violation of this subdivision shall be punishable by an appropriate and proportional department sanction, up to and including an administrative penalty of five thousand dollars and loss of license. (5) All marijuana and marijuana-infused products shall be sold in individual, child- -resistant containers that are labeled with serving amounts, instructions for use, and estimated length of effectiveness. All marijuana and marijuana-infused products shall be sold in containers clearly and conspicuously labeled, as mandated by the department, as containing “Marijuana” or a “Marijuana-Infused Product”. Violation of this subdivision shall subject the violator to department sanctions, including an administrative penalty of five thousand dollars. (6) A marijuana facility may not allow cultivation, manufacturing, sale, or display of marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana accessories to be visible from a public place outside of the marijuana facility without the use of binoculars, aircraft, or other optical aids. (7) A marijuana facility may not cultivate, manufacture, test, sell, or store marijuana at any location other than a physical address approved by the department and within an enclosed area that is secured in a manner that prevents access by persons not permitted by the marijuana facility to access the area. (8) A marijuana facility shall secure every entrance to the facility so that access to areas containing marijuana is restricted to employees and other persons permitted by the marijuana facility to access the area and to agents of the department or state and local law enforcement officers and emergency personnel and shall secure its inventory and equipment during and after operating hours to deter and prevent theft of marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana accessories. (9) No marijuana facility may refuse representatives of the department the right to inspect the licensed premises or to audit the books and records of the marijuana facility. A facility that holds licenses issued under sections 1 and 2 of this Article shall comply with inspection regulations and standards issued pursuant to both sections. (10) No marijuana facility, or entity with a certification, shall assign, sell, give, lease, sublicense, or otherwise transfer its license or certificate to any other entity without the express consent of the department, not to be unreasonably withheld. (11) Real and personal property used in the cultivation, manufacture, transport, testing, distribution, sale, and administration of marijuana for activities otherwise in compliance with this section shall not be subject to asset forfeiture solely because of that use. (12) No person shall extract resins from marijuana using dangerous materials or combustible gases without a medical marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility license, marijuana-infused products manufacturing facility license, or a marijuana microbusiness wholesale facility license. Violation of this prohibition shall subject the violator to department sanctions, including an administrative penalty of one thousand dollars for an individual and ten thousand dollars for a facility licensee and, if applicable, loss of certificate or license for up to one year. 10. Personal Use of Marijuana. (1) Subject to the limitations in subsection 3 of this section, the following acts by a person at least twenty-one years of age are not unlawful and shall not be an offense under state law or the laws of any local government within the state or be a basis to impose a civil fine, penalty, or sanction, or be a basis to detain, search, or arrest, or otherwise deny any right or privilege, or to seize or forfeit assets under state law or the laws of any local government: (a) Purchasing, possessing, consuming, using, ingesting, inhaling, processing, transporting, delivering without consideration, or distributing without consideration three ounces or less of dried, unprocessed marijuana, or its equivalent; (b) Possessing, transporting, planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying, processing, or manufacturing up to six flowering marijuana plants, six nonflowering marijuana plants (over fourteen inches tall), and six clones (plants under fourteen inches tall) provided the person is registered with the department for cultivation of marijuana plants under this section, provided: a. The plants and any marijuana produced by the plants in excess of three ounces are kept at one private residence, are in a locked space, and are not visible by normal, unaided vision from a public place; and b. Not more than twice the number of allowable plants under paragraph (b) of this subdivision are kept in or on the grounds of a private residence at one time. (c) Assisting another person who is at least twenty-one years of age in, or allowing property to be used for, any of the acts permitted by this section; and (d) Purchasing, possessing, using, delivering, distributing, manufacturing, transferring, or selling to persons twenty-one years of age or older marijuana accessories. (2) A person who, pursuant to this section, cultivates marijuana plants that are visible by normal, unaided vision from a public place is subject to a civil penalty not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana. (3) A person who, pursuant to this section, cultivates marijuana plants that are not kept in a locked space is subject to a civil penalty not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana. (4) A person who smokes marijuana in a public place, other than in an area licensed for such activity by the authorities having jurisdiction over the licensing and/or permitting of said activity, is subject to a civil penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars. (5) A person who is under twenty-one years of age who possesses, uses, ingests, inhales, transports, delivers without consideration or distributes without consideration three ounces or less of marijuana, or possesses, delivers without consideration, or distributes without consideration marijuana accessories is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana. Any such person shall be provided the option of attending up to four hours of drug education or counseling in lieu of the fine. (6) Subject to the limitations of this section, a person who possesses not more than twice the amount of marijuana allowed pursuant to this subsection, produces not more than twice the amount of marijuana allowed pursuant to this subsection, delivers without receiving any consideration or remuneration to a person who is at least twenty-one years of age not more than twice the amount of marijuana allowed by this subsection, or possesses with intent to deliver not more than twice the amount of marijuana allowed by this subsection: (a) For a first violation, is subject to a civil infraction punishable by a civil penalty not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana; (b) For a second violation, is subject to a civil infraction punishable by a civil penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana; (c) For a third or subsequent violation, is subject to a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding one-thousand dollars and forfeiture of the marijuana; (d) A person under twenty-one years of age is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed two hundred and fifty dollars. Any such person shall be provided the option of attending up to eight hours of drug education or counseling in lieu of the fine; and (e) In lieu of payment, penalties under this subsection may be satisfied by the performance of community service. The rate of pay-down associated with said service option will be the greater of $15 or the minimum wage in effect at the time of judgment. (7) (a) Any person currently incarcerated in a prison, jail or halfway house, whether by trial or open or negotiated plea: a. Who would not have been guilty of an adult or juvenile offense, had sections 1 and 2 of this Article been in effect at the time of the offense; or b. Who would have been guilty of a lesser adult or juvenile offense had sections 1 and 2 of this Article been in effect at the time of the offense; or c. Who is serving a sentence for a marijuana offense which is a misdemeanor, a class E felony, or a class D felony, or successor designations, involving possession of three pounds or less of marijuana, excluding offenses involving distribution or delivery to a minor, any offenses involving violence, or any offense of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana; may petition the sentencing court to vacate the sentence, order immediate release from incarceration and other supervision by the department of corrections, and the expungement of all government records of the case. Such expungement from all government records shall be granted for all of the person’s applicable marijuana offenses, absent good cause for denial. The effect of such orders shall be to restore such person to the status the person occupied prior to such arrest, plea or conviction and as if such event had never taken place, and the conviction and sentence shall be vacated as legally invalid. No person for whom such order has been entered shall be held thereafter under any provision of any law to be guilty of perjury or otherwise giving a false statement by reason of the person’s failure to recite or acknowledge such arrest, plea, trial, conviction, or expungement in response to any inquiry made of the person for any purpose whatsoever, and no such inquiry shall be made for information relating to an expungement. The court shall not assess any filing fee for these filings. The office of the state public defender shall prepare and make readily available and accessible a pleading form that may be filed pro se for this purpose. The circuit courts of the state shall also make readily available and accessible this pleading form. Within ninety days of the effective date of this section, the sentencing court shall complete the adjudication for all cases involving only misdemeanor marijuana offenses. Within one hundred and eighty days of the effective date of this section, the sentencing court shall complete the adjudication for all cases involving class E, or successor designation, felony marijuana offenses and, if applicable, any additional marijuana misdemeanor offenses by such offenders. Within two hundred and seventy days of the effective date of this section, the sentencing court shall complete the adjudication for all class D, or successor designation, felony cases involving three pounds or less of marijuana, as well as any lesser marijuana offenses by such offenders, if applicable. This shall not apply to offenses while operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in 49 CFR 390.5, or its successor provisions, in interstate or intrastate transportation unless otherwise exempted as found in section 307.400, RSMo, or its successor provisions. (b) Any person currently on probation or parole for a marijuana law violation, whether by trial or open or negotiated plea: a. Who would not have been guilty of an adult or juvenile offense, had sections 1 and 2 of this Article been in effect at the time of the offense; or b. Who would have been guilty of a lesser adult or juvenile offense had sections 1 and 2 of this Article been in effect at the time of the offense; or c. Who was convicted or plead guilty to a marijuana offense which is a misdemeanor, a class E felony, or a class D felony, or successor designations, involving the possession of three pounds or less of marijuana, excluding distribution or delivery to a minor or any offense of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana; shall, upon the effective date of this section, have their sentence automatically vacated by the sentencing court, which shall order the immediate termination of supervision by the department of corrections, and the expungement of all government records of the case. Such expungement from all government records shall be granted for all of the person’s applicable marijuana offenses, absent good cause for denial. The effect of such orders shall be to restore such person to the status the person occupied prior to such arrest, plea or conviction and as if such event had never taken place, and the conviction and sentence shall be vacated as legally invalid. No person for whom such order has been entered shall be held thereafter under any provision of any law to be guilty of perjury or otherwise giving a false statement by reason of the person’s failure to recite or acknowledge such arrest, plea, trial, conviction, or expungement in response to any inquiry made of the person for any purpose whatsoever, and no such inquiry shall be made for information relating to an expungement. The court shall not assess any filing fee for these cases. This shall not apply to offenses while operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in 49 CFR 390.5, or its successor provisions, in interstate or intrastate transportation unless otherwise exempted as found in section 307.400, RSMo, or its successor provisions. (8) (a) Within six months of the effective date of this section, the circuit courts of this state shall order the expungement of the criminal history records of all misdemeanor marijuana offenses for any person who is no longer incarcerated or under the supervision of the department of corrections. Within twelve months of the effective date of this section, the circuit courts of this state shall order the expungement of criminal history records for all persons no longer incarcerated or under the supervision of the department of corrections but who have completed their sentence for any felony marijuana offenses and any marijuana offenses that would no longer be a crime after the effective dates of sections 1 and 2 of this Article, excluding distribution or delivery to a minor, any such offenses involving violence, or any offense of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. For all class A, class B and class C, or successor designations, felony marijuana offenses, and for all class D, or successor designation, felony marijuana offenses for possession of more than three pounds of marijuana, the circuit courts of this state shall order expungement of criminal history records upon the completion of the person’s incarceration, including any supervised probation or parole. For the purposes of this subdivision, “criminal history record” means all information documenting an individual’s contact with the criminal justice system, including data regarding identification, arrest or citation, arraignment, judicial disposition, custody, and supervision. (b) An expungement order shall be legally effective immediately and the person whose record is expunged shall be treated in all respects as if he or she had never been arrested, convicted, or sentenced for the offense, and the conviction and sentence shall be vacated as legally invalid. The court shall issue an order to expunge all records and files related to the arrest, citation, investigation, charge, adjudication of guilt, criminal proceedings, and probation related to the sentence. The court shall provide notice of the expungement to the person who is the subject of the record at the person’s last known address, the arresting agency, prosecuting attorneys, central state depository of criminal records, and any other entity that may have a record related to the order to expunge. The central state depository of criminal records shall provide notice of the expungement to the Federal Bureau of lnvestigation’s National Crime Information Center, or its successor agency. The court shall issue the person a certificate stating that the offense for which the person was convicted has been expunged and that its effect is to annul the record of arrest, conviction, and sentence. (c) The effect of such expungement shall be to restore such person to the status the person occupied prior to such arrest, plea, or conviction and as if such event had never taken place. Such person shall not be required to acknowledge the existence of such a criminal history record or answer questions about the record in any application for employment, license, or civil right or privilege or in an appearance as a witness in any proceeding or hearing, and may deny the existence of the record regardless of whether the person has received notice from the court that an expungement order has been issued on the person’s behalf. (d) No person shall be prosecuted again for any offense which has been vacated or expunged. (e) The court shall keep a special index of cases that have been expunged together with the expungement order and the certificate issued pursuant to this subsection. The index shall list only the name of the person convicted of the offense, his or her date of birth, the docket number, and the criminal offense that was the subject of the expungement. The special index and related documents shall be confidential and shall be physically and electronically segregated in a manner that ensures confidentiality and that limits access to authorized persons. The court may permit special access to the index and the documents for research purposes pursuant to the rules for public access to court records. The index and documents made available by the court may not include any identifying information. (9) A person currently under parole, probation, or other state supervision, or released awaiting trial or other hearing, may not be punished or otherwise penalized based solely on conduct that is permitted by this section. (10) No conduct permitted by this section shall constitute the basis for detention, search, or arrest; and except when law enforcement is investigating whether a person is operating a motor vehicle, train, aircraft, motorboat, or other motorized form of transport while under the influence of marijuana, the odor of marijuana or burnt marijuana, the possession or suspicion of possession of marijuana without evidence of a quantity in excess of the lawful amount, or the possession of multiple containers of marijuana without evidence of quantity in excess of the lawful amount shall not individually or in combination with each other constitute reasonably articulable suspicion of a crime. Marijuana and marijuana-infused products as permitted by this section are not contraband nor subject to seizure. (11) A person shall not be denied eligibility in public assistance programs or public benefits based solely on conduct that is permitted by this Article, unless required by federal law. (12) No person shall be denied their rights under Article 1, Section 23 of the Missouri Constitution, solely for conduct that is permitted by this section. (13) No person shall be denied parental rights, custody of, or visitation with a minor child by a state or local government executive agency based solely on conduct that is permitted by this section, unless the person’s behavior is such that it creates an unreasonable danger to a minor child that can be established by clear and convincing evidence. 11. Interstate Commerce. If federal law, rules, or regulations are amended to allow the interstate commerce of marijuana or marijuana-infused products or the importation or exportation of marijuana or marijuana-infused products into or out of the state of Missouri, the provisions and intent of this section shall, to the extent possible, remain in full effect, unless explicitly preempted by such federal law, rule, or regulation. If federal law, rules, or regulations are amended as provided above, any marijuana or marijuana-infused products imported into this state shall be subject to the same testing standards and seed-to-sale tracking system required under this section for marijuana and marijuana- infused products produced within the state. Unless federal law, rules, or regulations explicitly require otherwise, no entity shall sell, transport, produce, distribute, deliver, or cultivate marijuana or marijuana-infused products without an applicable license or certificate as required under this section. In addition, any raw biomass of marijuana or marijuana flower imported from out-of-state shall be received only by a licensed cultivation facility, while all batch oil, infused marijuana products and any marijuana product in any other form shall be received only by a licensed manufacturing facility. 12. Severability. The provisions of this section are severable, and if any clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this measure, or an application thereof, is adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the other provisions shall continue to be in effect to the fullest extent possible. 13. Effective Date. The provisions of this section shall become effective thirty days after the election, as provided by this Constitution.
History
Cite This Page — Counsel Stack
Missouri Const. art. XIV, § 2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/constitution/mo/XIV/2.