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Michigan Ready and Waiting to Issue First Medical Marijuana Licenses with 500-Plus Applications Processed by Accela's Civic Application for Cannabis RegulationSAN RAMON, Calif., June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the state of Michigan announced that it has processed over 500 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 processed medical marijuana licenses are the result of voter mandate and arrive 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. The Medical Marijuana Licensing Board is scheduled to issue the first licenses to cannabis businesses on Thursday, July 12, until that time, the state will continue processing applications with Accela's technology.
"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." To date, Michigan has processed 546 applications for entities requiring background investigations, 150-plus facility license applications, and nearly 100 municipalities for legal use. Michigan is estimated to eceive $21 million in tax revenue in 2018 from cannabis. The bureau began accepting applications on December 15, 2017 and continues to process applications as they arrive. 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. The effort brought five departments, each with their own distinct roles, together using 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 needs. "We would like to congratulate the state of Michigan on the efficient processing of medical marijuana licenses and achieving key milestones in 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 Contact: Jason Shueh, (925) 659-3200, [email protected]
SOURCE Accela 
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