S.B. 451 Summary

• Establishes a new "cultivation facility" license for independent cannabis growers to cultivate and sell only to licensed medical cannabis dispensaries, limiting operations to a single county per licensee.

• Limits each cultivation facility to 1,000 cannabis plants (expandable to 2,000 at department discretion), with one license per tax map key and a minimum of $250,000 in financial resources required.

• Sets application period opening December 31, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. and closing January 15, 2025 at 4:30 p.m., with a $1,000 non-refundable application fee and $10,000 licensing fee.

• Requires cultivation facilities to comply with tracking systems, security measures (fencing, video monitoring, alarms), employee background checks, and annual unannounced inspections similar to dispensary requirements.

• Permits cultivation facilities to operate on agricultural, manufacturing, or retail-zoned land, and establishes criminal penalties for unauthorized facility access and product diversion.