Maryland House Committee Approves Bill to Double Micro Dispensary Employee Limit and Revamp Cannabis Agent Training
- The Maryland House Economic Matters Committee approved House Bill 622, which aims to double the employee cap for micro dispensaries from 10 to 20 workers and revise cannabis agent training requirements.
- Currently, micro dispensaries can operate delivery services without storefronts but are limited in employee numbers; the bill would give these businesses more flexibility to expand their workforce.
- The bill replaces the responsible vendor training program with an annual cannabis agent training program mandatory for all registered agents and employees at on-site consumption establishments.
- The legislation updates training standards by shifting to a regulatory framework overseen by the Maryland Cannabis Administration, focusing on key topics like legal compliance and public safety, and would take effect on July 1, 2026 if enacted.
A Maryland House committee approved legislation today that would allow the state’s micro dispensaries to employ twice as many workers while also changing training requirements for cannabis agents. House Bill 622 received a favorable report with minor amendments from the House Economic Matters Committee, moving the measure forward in the General Assembly. The bill was introduced in January by the Economic Matters Committee at the request of the Maryland Cannabis Administration.
As introduced, the proposal would increase the number of employees allowed under a micro dispensary license from 10 to 20. Under current law, a micro dispensary may operate a delivery service without a physical storefront, but it is limited in how many people it can employ. HB 622 would double that cap, potentially giving those businesses more flexibility to expand operations.
The measure would also make several changes to the state’s cannabis training rules. It would replace references to a responsible vendor training program with a cannabis agent training program, and it would require cannabis licensees to ensure that each registered cannabis agent completes the training annually.
In addition, the bill would require on-site consumption establishments to ensure that all employees complete the annual cannabis agent training program. The legislation also updates the standards for training programs that must be approved by the Maryland Cannabis Administration.
Rather than listing a broader set of required topics directly in statute, the bill would shift toward a more streamlined framework tied to regulations adopted by the administration. The required curriculum would still include key areas such as administrative and criminal liability, statutory and regulatory requirements for employees and owners, state and local licensing and enforcement, and public health and safety standards relevant to each license type.
If approved by the full legislature and signed into law, the measure would take effect July 1, 2026.