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Michigan to Issue Medical Marijuana Licenses Powered by Accela Civic Solution for Cannabis Regulation

Configurable, modern solution provides state of Michigan with an easy way to adapt to complicated emerging regulatory challenges and collect an estimated $21M in tax revenue

San Ramon, CA – Today, the state of Michigan announced it will begin issuing medical marijuana licenses using its new cannabis solution and licensing system developed by Accela, the leading provider of cloud-based productivity solutions for government. The cannabis licenses are the result of voter mandate, and arrives on the heels of successful Accela cannabis solution launches in multiple jurisdictions. Accela’s civic solution for cannabis was selected by Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) so staff could deliver an easy-to-use, modern licensing solution.

“Accela offered an out-of-the-box solution for the essential back office and customer-facing functions we knew were essential for a successful launch,” said Andrew Brisbo, Director of LARA’s Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation. “The system allowed us to be creative in our approach to implementing our processes and adjusting on the fly as our knowledge of the industry grew. Having a flexible solution that can be adapted to changes in laws and regulations is essential for continuing to offer quality service to the state’s residents. We wanted a customer portal that took traditional counter services and moved them to the web to maximize the benefits of providing 24-hour self-service.”

Michigan has processed more than 546 applications for entities requiring background investigations, 150-plus facility license applications, and nearly 100 municipalities for legal use. Michigan is estimated to receive $21M in tax revenue in 2018 from cannabis. The bureau began accepting applications on December 15, 2017.

Today’s announcement supports and demonstrates Accela’s years of leadership in delivering licensing, permitting and regulatory solutions, as well as leading best practices in the cannabis market. Accela worked with the city and county of Denver to develop a recreational cannabis permitting solution in 2012. At the time of launch, Denver was the first major recreational cannabis market in the country bringing five departments, each with their own distinct roles, together with data to improve and safeguard the county’s oversight. Michigan’s progress in approving medical marijuana business licenses further demonstrates the power and agility of the Accela solution to meet community need.

“We would like to congratulate the state of Michigan on issuing their first medical marijuana licenses and successfully navigating a complex new industry,” said Accela’s Executive Chairman Mark Jung. “State and local governments are facing a growing number of challenges driven by regulatory changes in the cannabis market. Accela is proud to provide modern, easy-to-use applications for complicated emerging regulatory challenges.”

As the country becomes more “green” through changes in cannabis regulation, states and local governments are gearing up for what’s next. Eight states and D.C. already have recreational cannabis on the books and at least twelve more are considering cannabis legalization. Accela continues to provide innovative and flexible solutions to governments that are looking at how to navigate these uncharted waters and the technological challenges found in regulating new markets.

About Accela

Accela provides a market-leading platform of SaaS solutions that empower local governments to improve efficiency, increase engagement and deliver transparency to strengthen communities around the world. From asset and land management to licensing, finance, environmental health and more, our solutions serve more than 2,000 communities worldwide, including more than 80 percent of America’s largest cities. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices in Ronkonkoma, New York; Williamsville, New York; Portland, Oregon; Draper, Utah; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Dublin, Ireland; Wellington, New Zealand; and Melbourne, Australia. For more information, visit www.accela.com.