Inspections begin this week, almost 100 applications stand verified

Of the 349 facility licenses for testing, cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensaries, the Department of Health and Senior Services has verified 94 as of May 28, 2020.

There are no legal operating facilities in Missouri as of the end of May 2020. The Department reported three inspections are in progress.

Verifications – the completion of the “Minimum Standard Review Reports” – are required for facilities prior to requesting and receiving facility commencement inspections. Both are required for a facility to operate.

The Department began verifying application information in March. Applications are reported to go through 4 layers of review by the Department.

Inspections are said to judge facilities against their verified applications. The Department previously reported that 70-80 percent of licenses said they plan to make some type of change request. Change requests, which may be anything from physical changes to ownership changes, are processed after verification is completed.

The state has issued licenses for 11 testing labs, 60 cultivation facilities, 86 manufacturing facilities, and 192 dispensary facilities.

   

License award appeal pre-hearing conferences begin appearing more regularly before the Administrative Hearing Commission after administrative delays related to the viral pandemic. On Tuesday, June 2, Motacann has a pre-hearing conference, followed by more pre-conference hearings for Robust Missouri on June 11, for KC Miracle Solutions and Heya on June 22.

Appeals hearings are scheduled to begin late summer. CCRMB has a hearing date beginning September 2.

In-person proceedings of any sort were also suspended through May 1. Hearings were postponed until May 15, 2020, due to the pandemic.

The AHC, which generally has around 800 cases annually, has almost 850 license appeals filed in their circuit, as directed by the constitutional framework of the program.

FEATURED IMAGE/SMMR Compliance Director Andrea Balkenbush at the March 2020 mandatory meetings PHOTO/CHRIS SMITH