Representative Hansen J.'s cannabis maintenance bill passes 92-42, eases rules for businesses and medical program

The Minnesota House passed Sandoval number 44, an act relating to cannabis, on a 92-42 third-reading vote, advancing a package of maintenance changes that backers say will ease rules for small cannabis businesses and begin preparatory work on a medical psilocybin program.

Representative Hansen J., the bill author, told the chamber the measure was developed with more than 80 stakeholders and aimed to "right-size" regulations for the still‑new industry. She said the bill includes provisions to support small businesses (for example, allowing the sale of non‑cannabis equipment such as shelving and lighting between licensed businesses), modify pharmacist and health-consultant roles, provide temporary transporter relief, revive QR codes for hemp packaging, strengthen protections for applicant private data, and clarify procedures for event coordinators.

Hansen said the bill "is a great maintenance bill" and highlighted provisions meant to prevent bad actors from entering the market, to clarify product classifications (including certain combined or large‑format concentrates), and to adjust investor rules to make investment more attractive. She also described a provision that would create a bridge allowing hemp businesses to transition into the cannabis market and said the bill "supports local governments" by clarifying certain municipal roles and requiring reporting when localities perform age‑compliance checks. The bill, she said, "launches the first step" toward a medical psilocybin program by directing a report to prepare for future rulemaking and to pursue federal funding.

On the medical side, Hansen told members the bill will rename existing medical combination licenses as "macro" licenses, eliminate a previously mandated grow‑to‑sale ratio and set new outdoor canopy limits based on updated data, and require expedited testing and stock availability for prioritized medical products (Hansen said availability would be required within 24 hours for designated products).

Representative West commended parts of the bill but warned of unintended consequences. He said access to capital has been a major barrier for applicants and praised a change that would allow social‑equity license holders to accept up to 33% ownership stakes from investors, calling that important for attracting investment. At the same time, West said sharply cutting canopy limits (he contrasted a prior larger figure with a proposal that would put a limit near 38,000) could spur litigation and harm current businesses that invested under earlier rules.

After debate and without amendments at the desk, the clerk took the roll on third reading and announced the vote: 92 ayes and 42 nays. The clerk declared the bill passed and its title agreed to. The House then moved to the next bill on the calendar, Senate file 1943, with amendments noted at the desk.

The bill contains many implementation details that will be handled in rulemaking and agency procedures; supporters said the package responds to input from industry, labor, tribal partners and regulators, while some members warned specific numeric limits and timing changes could prompt legal challenges or require further adjustment.