Sisolak green lights overhaul of how Nevada's cannabis industry is regulated

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Gov. Steve Sisolak on Wednesday signed a bill that would effectively overhaul regulation of the state's marijuana industry by creating a Cannabis Compliance Board.

Modeled after Nevada's gaming industry regulation system, the board is designed to be a comprehensive regulatory board with seven members who have expertise in areas ranging from finance, law enforcement and medicine to legal compliance.

According to previous reports, the new agency would take over regulatory issues ranging from licensing to operation of dispensaries, growers, production of cannabis products and testing. Actual tax collections from medical and retail cannabis products would remain the responsibility of the Department of Taxation.

“Our marijuana industry is now a key part of our state economy, and to make sure it stays that way, we must hold it to the highest standard while empowering the industry to continue thriving,” Sisolak said in a news release announcing his approval. “Nevada's first-ever Cannabis Compliance Board will ensure this critical part of our state's economy is positioned to become the gold standard for the nation.”

Assembly Bill 533 also establishes a Cannabis Advisory Commission, to which the governor will appoint experts in direct and marijuana-related fields. These individuals will have the freedom to consider a number of outstanding issues regarding cannabis, including inclusion, addiction prevention, training programs, consumption, dram shop laws, and other important questions.

According to previous reports, the new agency would cost a minimum of $4 million to operate.

Sisolak has also signed multiple bills that aim to remove economic barriers to legal cannabis users and individuals with prior cannabis convictions.

Assembly Bill 132 makes Nevada the first state to ban employers from refusing to hire job applicants who test positive for marijuana during the hiring process. This bill contains notable common-sense exceptions for certain professions, such as public safety and transportation.

Meanwhile, Assembly Bill 192 provides for a process by which individuals may petition to have their criminal records sealed if their conviction was for an offense that has later been decriminalized, such as a marijuana conviction.