A new Missouri house bill has been filed that would prompt the establishment of a statewide licensing system for hotels, Airbnb rentals, or other lodging that wish to allow the consumption of medical marijuana within the establishment.
If passed, House Bill 486 would require the Department of Health and Senior Services to establish a statewide licensing system.
This is an incredibly important bill to keep an eye on for hotel, Airbnb, or other rental property owners.
With record support for legalization and increased use among all demographics (even older adults), it looks like the time could be coming soon in which rental owners have to consider allowing medical marijuana users to smoke on the rental premises.
Proposed rules for Airbnb owners under HB 486
This isn’t going to be as simple as getting a license and forgetting about it.
Should the bill pass, lodging establishments that wish to allow medical marijuana patients to consume medical marijuana within the establishment would have to follow a set of rules.
These obviously could change before the bill is finalized, however these are the current rules contained in HB486:
- The establishment or rental must confirm that the guest who desires to consume medical marijuana has a medical card from any state
- There must be a notice posted that medical marijuana may be consumed on the premises
- Medical marijuana consumption areas must be at least 20 feet from areas that do not allow consumption. If this is impossible, the consumption areas must be restricted to a specially designated floor of the building.
What is the licensing fee for HB486?
The proposed license fee is $50 and the license is valid for two years.
If your hotel or Airbnb does not have the required license but knowingly allow guests to consume medical marijuana on your property you will be fined.
Fines for breaking medical marijuana use rules at your rental
How much you’re fined determines on the number of offenses on your record:
- First offense: $1000
- Second offense: $2000
- Third and subsequent offense: $5000; and
- The fourth offense: suspension of the establishment’s general lodging license or the rental’s business license for one week.
There’s also fines for an establishment or rental who does not post the required notice of allowed use:
- First offense: $100
- Second offense: $200
- Third offense: $500
- The fourth offense: loss of the medical marijuana lodging establishment license for one year.
If an establishment or rental does not ensure consumption areas are at least 20 feet from non-consumption areas, they will be fined:
- First offense: $100
- Second offense: $200
- Third offense: $300
- The fourth offense: loss of the medical marijuana lodging establishment license for one year.
Where would the money collected for these fines go? It would pay for the costs of the administration of this new section under a newly created “Medical Marijuana Lodging Establishment Fund.”
Why this matters for Missouri rental home and Airbnb owners
So, why is a real estate agency in Bolivar, Missouri interested in this news?
A significant number of homebuyers, even in the Ozarks area, buy homes in Bolivar and around Southwest Missouri to rent out long-term or on Airbnb.
It’s only a matter of time before this, or a similar bill, passes and you’re forced to make a decision on allowing medical marijuana use in your rental.
