Bill > SF2878

This bill amends Minnesota's cannabis licensing process to require the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to prioritize reviewing verified social equity applicants before reviewing general licensing applicants in each licensing period. Social equity applicants are individuals who meet specific criteria designed to provide opportunities to those historically impacted by cannabis prohibition, typically from communities disproportionately affected by past drug enforcement. The bill modifies existing law to explicitly mandate that the OCM must first review all verified social equity applicants before processing applications from general applicants. If the number of qualified social equity applicants exceeds available licenses for that category, the office will conduct an impartial, random lottery to select preliminary license approvals. Any social equity applicants not selected in the initial lottery will be included in the broader applicant pool. This change aims to ensure that social equity applicants receive preferential consideration in the cannabis licensing process, potentially helping to address historical inequities in cannabis regulation and business opportunities.

Business and Industry

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF2878&ssn=0&y=2025