Alaska Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, Division of Administrative Services

The multi-day meeting included administrative items such as the approval of the agenda (with an addition for a seizure hearing), selection of the Board Chair and Vice Chair, and discussions on the AMCO Meeting Code of Conduct and Zoom FAQs. Public testimony covered various licensee concerns, including product displays, hemp product testing verification, and regulatory clarity. Key actions involved reviewing and acting upon numerous license applications, including new standard cultivation, new retail store, and new concentrates manufacturing facility applications, many of which were approved by delegation. License transfers were also approved. A significant portion of the meeting addressed License Renewal Applications, particularly those with Notices of Violation (NOVs) for tax delinquency, leading to several denials with abeyance periods or approvals with delegation. A specific discussion addressed issues related to METRC tagging and taxation based on weight versus dry weight, and the board considered directives for enforcement regarding re-keying and product holds. Regulatory discussions involved initial drafts for board review concerning infants on licensed premises, business signs/promotional ads, and revocation/transportation, with some items moved for public comment. A notice of hearing regarding a seizure at Will's World Extracts resulted in an affirmative finding of reasonable grounds for administrative seizure. Finally, subsequent discussions focused on Marijuana Task Force recommendations and further regulatory action.

The Director's Report for the Marijuana Control Board meeting addressed several critical areas. Key discussion topics included the status of the marijuana licensing queue, noting staff improvements and preparations for integrating licensing into a new online portal. Due to the failure of the marijuana excise tax relief bill, the office proposed considering a reduction in licensing fees. Enforcement priorities were revisited, with a focus on shifting focus to the black market, and discussions included the need for better solutions regarding undisclosed financial interests via management services agreements. Further topics involved updates from the Cannabis Testing Lab User Working Group concerning workable standards for measuring and assessing potency, including defining "Total THC" and setting potency levels for edibles, as well as soliciting the Board's recommendation on pesticide and heavy metals testing. The Director welcomed a new public health member to the Board.

The meeting agenda covered several administrative and governance items, including the approval of the agenda and deferral of previous minutes approval. Key discussions involved public testimony concerning the rigor of application reviews and odor complaints regarding a licensee, Mr. Happy Farms. Director and Enforcement briefings addressed operational issues during the COVID crisis, including expired license renewals and Notices of Violation. The Board reviewed numerous applications from previous meetings, granting approvals with delegation for several cultivation, manufacturing, and retail licenses (e.g., Rainforest Farms, Green Degree, Cosmic Seaweed), sometimes after lengthy discussions regarding excise tax delinquency, animal edibles jurisdiction, and ownership transfer disputes. New applications were largely approved with delegation. Significant time was dedicated to reviewing and voting on numerous product packages, resulting in partial approvals for some licensees due to labeling or additive concerns. In regulations, the Board moved to put proposed regulations regarding the extension of curbside pickup authority (sunset date November 15, 2020) and language changes for recommendations out for public comment. Other regulation projects, such as Marijuana Handler Permits, Sales Limits, Quality Control Sampling, Administrative Hold and Seizure, and Onsite Consumption Cleanup, were adopted or advanced. Finally, the Board reviewed licenses in delegated and pending inspection statuses for informational purposes.

The Marijuana Control Board meeting agenda covered multiple substantive areas across June 23rd and 24th, 2021. Key discussions included the approval of the agenda, review of the AMCO Code of Conduct, and approval of minutes from previous meetings (March/April 2021 and May 2021 Special Meeting). Public testimony addressed topics such as license capping, license distribution, and delivery by retail licensees. The session included a Q&A session regarding testing lab quality control and standard operating procedures. Director and Enforcement briefings covered reports, tax delinquencies, and Notices of Violation (NOVs). Licensing reported on renewal deadlines. Multiple license applications (new, transfer, combined) were considered, with several being approved with delegation, tabled for future meetings (August), or resulting in denial (License #12313: Juneau's Green Market due to protest and residency issues). The board reviewed and took action on new limited and standard marijuana cultivation facility applications, new retail store applications, and new manufacturing facility applications. Specific attention was paid to License #27777 (Cardundy Cultivation) and License #27205 (Bonah-Fide) approvals requiring delegation. License #27520 (Purgatory Cannabis) was tabled due to tax issues. The board also addressed product approvals for several licensees, including modifications to concentration limits for Red Run Cannabis Cultivators, LLC. A significant portion of the agenda involved reviewing licenses in 'Delegated' Status for approximately one year and those 'Pending Inspection' for over six months, with plans established for follow-up reconsideration in the October and January meetings, respectively. Finally, the board reviewed and approved several operating plan changes in bulk and reviewed new product submissions.

The Director's Report detailed Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO) activities since the previous board meeting on November 15-16, 2023. Key topics included significant staffing changes with two supervisors departing, necessitating structural and hierarchical reassessments within AMCO, focusing on licensee education. Licensing activities involved intensive work on alcoholic beverage license changes due to the Title 4 Rewrite effective January 1, 2024, and current prioritization of marijuana license applications. A procedural change regarding marijuana handler permits was announced, discontinuing in-person permit hours effective February 4, 2024, due to equipment failure and staffing shortages. Enforcement updates covered successful defense by the Department of Natural Resources regarding regulations prohibiting delta-9 THC in hemp products intended for consumption. Furthermore, the establishment of a Cannabis Potency and Pesticide Testing Lab User Group was noted, which will report back with recommendations. The board is also set to discuss findings from the recent legislative sunset audit of the Marijuana Control Board, which may lead to fee reductions. An update on legislative bill HB 119, which proposes biennial licensure, was also provided.