All Roll Calls
Yes: 167 • No: 9
UtahS.B. 642025 General SessionSenateWALLET
Medical Cannabis Amendments
Sponsored By: Evan J. Vickers (Republican)
Signed by Governor
AgricultureControlled SubstancesHealth and Human ServicesAgriculture & FoodMedical Cannabis
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
14 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 3 costs, 6 mixed.
More treatment help for cannabis patients
A provider must record when a cardholder needs treatment help because of age, illness, or disability. The state must then label the card. A physically present adult may help with cannabis treatment and its device; during a medical emergency, helpers may be any age. Helpers cannot use the cannabis themselves or handle it away from the cardholder. They may handle it only to help while the cardholder is being dosed.
More product information for cannabis patients
Beginning May 7, 2025, Utah's health department must develop product information inserts with each product's processor, excluding proprietary information. Pharmacies must give buyers available inserts on paper, by email or text, or through a QR code. Pharmacies must also provide terpene profiles for flower, vaporizer cartridges, and concentrates before or at purchase. The law retains January 1, 2024 as the start date for terpene disclosures.
Stronger privacy safeguards for cannabis patients
Medical cannabis cards no longer must display the applicant's name, gender, age, address, or photo identification number. This does not end collection or storage of application information. Financial institutions lose direct inventory-system access; the agriculture department may instead provide transaction-only reports that cannot identify patients. Designated provider employees need at least one hour of privacy training every two years before getting verification-system access. Training must come from the health department or a provider it recognizes as accredited or approved.
More universities qualify for cannabis research
Private, nonprofit Utah colleges and universities can qualify as research universities for medical cannabis research licensing. They must hold Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation and grant doctoral degrees. They must also have a lab containing, or a program researching, a specified Schedule I controlled substance.
Delivery pharmacy preference drops payment criterion
When qualified applicants outnumber pharmacy licenses, the state may favor home-delivery applicants accepting electronic orders through the state patient portal. That preference no longer includes willingness to accept payments through specified providers or financial institutions. Beginning May 7, 2025, the law also repeals the separate section governing electronic cannabis payment providers. These changes do not guarantee a license, delivery service, or a particular payment method.
Limits on cannabis recommendations near pharmacies
A pharmacy cannot allow providers to recommend cannabis at temporary events in tents or temporary structures within 500 feet of its property line. The restriction covers gatherings, markets, clinics, and promotional events.
Cannabis businesses face stronger competition enforcement
The licensing board may investigate suspected illegal anticompetitive practices with Utah's Attorney General. The Attorney General may formally demand information during these investigations. The law defines covered practices to include illegal competitor agreements, monopolization, and conduct established by rule. After an investigation finds such conduct, the board may revoke a cannabis production license. The Attorney General also retains separate authority to investigate and prosecute state antitrust violations.
Cannabis businesses face earlier ownership notice
Pharmacies and couriers must give written ownership-change notice at least 45 business days ahead, up from 10 business days. Pharmacy ownership changes of 20% or more require a public licensing-board hearing. Hearings are also required for location changes or additions, license-tier upgrades, and extraction or formulation procedure changes. Adding an industrial hemp license at the specified location also requires a hearing, as does a department recommendation.
Cannabis purchase and public transport rules
Pharmacies may sell cannabis obtained from another pharmacy or licensed processor, plus medical cannabis devices and educational materials. Buyers need a medical cannabis card or the specified state registration, plus matching government-issued photo identification. Packaging no longer must include an opaque bag or box. Cardholders must still keep containers inside an opaque bag or box in public. Pharmacies must supply one when a cardholder transporting cannabis in public does not bring one.
Broader cannabis enforcement with correction time
Utah's agriculture department gains enforcement authority over cannabis pharmacies, pharmacy agents, and couriers, alongside producers and their agents. Actions include citations, penalties, and license or registration revocation or nonrenewal; the separate pharmacy-and-courier enforcement section is repealed. Before other administrative action, a concern letter must describe the violation, possible fixes, and consequences, allowing at least 30 days. Notice is not required for public-health threats or a third violation of the same rule or statute within 24 months. A letter cannot be reported to the licensing board when the violation is fixed without further enforcement. After the required investigation and finding, the department may choose whether to take listed enforcement actions.
Cannabis advisory and research oversight shifts
The Medical Cannabis Policy Advisory Board must review draft rules on cannabis research, production establishments, and pharmacies. The Cannabis Research Review Board's statutory role ends July 1, 2025, along with specified related provisions. That moves the repeal one year earlier than July 1, 2026.
Cannabis site flexibility brings processing fees
Cultivation facilities may operate at two addresses under one license. A tier one processor may add a second address at its own cultivation facility for a one-time $70,000 fee. Cultivation license holders seeking tier two processing licenses for that cultivation site must pay a one-time $25,000 fee. The licensing board may issue no more than 18 tier one processing licenses.
Cannabis video rules move outside inventory
The law removes video recording as a required part of the cannabis inventory-control system. Separate rules still require tamper-proof surveillance at cannabis production establishments and medical cannabis pharmacies. Production video must track handling and processing; pharmacy video must track all cannabis handling. Both must keep recordings for at least 45 days and provide state access upon request.
Courier licensing reviews and simpler cards
The licensing board's application and renewal review duties now include medical cannabis couriers. The board considers renewals as needed instead of meeting each December. Courier agent cards no longer must list the agent's pharmacy and each courier for which the agent delivers. This removes card-detail requirements, not agent registration.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Evan J. Vickers
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Walt Brooks
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 2/28/2025
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Yes: 24 • No: 1
House vote • 2/26/2025
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 69 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2025
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2025
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2025
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 11 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 11 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2025
Senate/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2025
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 21 • No: 6
Senate vote • 2/10/2025
Senate/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/10/2025
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 23 • No: 2
Senate vote • 1/30/2025
Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/30/2025
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/26/2025Senate/ to Governor
3/17/2025SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/17/2025SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/13/2025SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/13/2025Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/4/2025Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/4/2025Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
3/3/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/3/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
2/28/2025HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
2/28/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
2/28/2025HouseSenate/ to House
2/28/2025SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
2/28/2025SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2/27/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
2/27/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ substituted
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ uncircled
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ circled
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
2/26/2025HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
2/20/2025HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
2/20/2025HouseHouse/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact
2/18/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/13/2025
Substitute #4
2/26/2025
Substitute #3
2/25/2025
Substitute #2
2/17/2025
Amended 2/11/2025 14:02:282
2/11/2025
Amended 2/10/2025 14:02:384
2/10/2025
Substitute #1
1/28/2025
Introduced
1/3/2025
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