KS HB2679

Legalizes adult-use cannabis in Kansas by creating the Adult Use Cannabis Regulation Act, administered by the Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control, establishing nine license categories including cultivation facilities, retailers, product manufacturers, testing facilities, transporters, hospitality businesses, and hospitality-and-sales businesses, with all sales restricted to individuals 21 years of age or older and licensed premises required to be at least 1,000 feet from schools, treatment facilities, and child care facilities.

Imposes an 8% excise tax on gross receipts from retail cannabis sales, with revenue allocated to child care (15%), low-cost housing (40%), economic development near licensed businesses (10%), mental health (10%), property tax rebates near licensed businesses (15%), and the state general fund (10%).

Limits retail sales to one ounce of cannabis or equivalent cannabis products per transaction, requires seed-to-sale electronic tracking of all cannabis, mandates independent testing and certification for safety and potency, and authorizes cannabis delivery permits for licensed transporters and retailers to deliver to private residences.

Requires expungement of prior cannabis-related criminal charges that have been decriminalized or legalized under the act, allowing individuals to file fee-free motions to seal records at any time, with the Department of Corrections required to proactively review and identify eligible records within 180 days and persons imprisoned solely for expunged offenses to be released.

Exempts licensed cannabis businesses and their employees from state criminal drug laws (manufacturing, distribution, possession, paraphernalia) when operating in compliance with the act, exempts financial institutions serving licensed cannabis businesses from state criminal liability, and sets the act to expire on July 1, 2035, with rules and regulations to be adopted by July 1, 2026.