SB1713 Summary

• Establishes a rural opportunity initiative allowing the department to issue up to 18 marijuana establishment licenses to qualified applicants serving unserved rural communities (defined as cities, towns, or census-designated areas with populations under 50,000 that are at least 25 miles from existing marijuana retail sites).

• Requires unserved rural communities to opt out by August 1, 2026 if they do not wish to participate in the rural opportunity initiative; counties may opt out on behalf of census-designated areas.

• Permits rural opportunity initiative licensees to operate only one retail location and one off-site cultivation location, with retail sites requiring only 24 hours of operation per week and allowing relocation only to other participating unserved rural communities.

• Entitles each rural opportunity initiative licensee to receive both a marijuana establishment license and a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificate, with a unified renewal date.

• Requires the department to adopt implementing rules by July 1, 2026 and begin accepting applications by October 1, 2026, with licenses issued within 60 days of the first qualified application for a specific community.