Montana State Legislature

Cannabis Control Division

CANNABIS CONTROL DIVISION
of Department of Revenue

Division Leadership

Kristan Barbour, Division Administrator

Brendan Beatty, Director of Department of Revenue
Appointed by the Governor

Division Website

Division Overview

The Cannabis Control Division (CCD) is a new division within the Department of Revenue. The objective of the CCD is to develop a well-regulated program so that individuals with a debilitating medical condition can safely access the medicine they need. House Bill 701 (HB 701) was passed by the 2021 Montana Legislature and signed into law on 5/18/2021. HB701 amends both the recreational marijuana initiative I-190 and the Montana Medical Marijuana Act. CCD administers both programs as the "Montana Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act" under Title 16, chapter 12.

Statutorily Required Reports to Economic Affairs

9/1/2022: Inspection of licensed premises biennial report (16-12-210, MCA)
9/1/2022: Medical marijuana registry (16-12-532, MCA)
9/1/2022: Adult-use marijuana dispensary licensee report (16-12-110, MCA)

September 2022:

The CCD proposed the following agency legislation:

Red Tape Initiative Related:

Remove background check requirement for worker permit holders (not authorized)
Clarify that marijuana dispensaries may sell CBD products (not authorized)
Remove former Title 50 MCA references regarding inability to wholesale marijuana (not authorized)

Non-Red Tape Initiative Related:

Transfer marijuana lab licensing and audit functions (not authorized)
Provide statutory spending authority for DOR-retained portion of local option marijuana excise tax (authorized)

The committee authorized the department to draft one agency bill. The three proposals under the red tape memo are already addressed in the committee's marijuana bill, and the committee opted to incorporate the marijuana lab transfer issue in the committee bill as well.

June 2022: