Section 41-137-57 - Local government option(1) The cultivation, processing, sale and distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as performed in accordance to the provisions of this chapter, shall be legal in every county and municipality of this state unless a county or municipality opts out through a vote by the board of supervisors of the county or governing authorities of the municipality, as applicable, within ninety (90) days after February 2, 2022. The governing authorities of the municipality or the board of supervisors of the county, as applicable, shall provide a notice in accordance with the Open Meetings Act (Section 25-41-1 et seq.) of its intent of holding a vote regarding opting out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable. The governing authorities of the municipality or the board of supervisors of the county, as applicable, may opt out of allowing one or more of the following: cultivation, processing, sale or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products. The governing authorities of a municipality, by a vote entered upon their minutes, may opt out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the municipality. The board of supervisors of a county, by a vote entered upon its minutes, may opt out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of the county.(2) If the board of supervisors of a county or the governing authorities of a municipality do not opt out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, within ninety (90) days after February 2, 2022, then no vote by the board of supervisors or governing authorities, as applicable, may be held to so opt out, and the provisions of this chapter shall remain applicable and operative in the county or municipality, as applicable. If the board of supervisors of a county or governing authorities of a municipality have opted out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, then the board of supervisors or governing authorities of a municipality may later opt in regarding the same through a vote by the board of supervisors or governing authorities, as applicable, entered upon its or their minutes, or an election duly held according to subsection (3) or (4) of this section, as applicable.(3)(a) Upon presentation and filing of a proper petition requesting that the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, be legal in the unincorporated areas of the county signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the county, it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors to call an election at which there shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the county the question of whether or not the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, shall be legal in the unincorporated areas of such county as provided in this chapter. Such election shall be held and conducted by the county election commissioners on a date fixed by the order of the board of supervisors, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days from the date of the filing of the petition. Notice thereof shall be given by publishing such notice once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper published in the county or if no newspaper be published therein, by such publication in a newspaper in an adjoining county and having a general circulation in the county involved. The election shall be held not earlier than fifteen (15) days from the first publication of such notice.(b) The election shall be held and conducted as far as may be possible in the same manner as is provided by law for the holding of general elections. The ballots used at the election shall contain a brief statement of the proposition submitted and, on separate lines, the words "I vote FOR allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of ________ [Name of County] ( )" or "I vote AGAINST allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of ________ [Name of County] ( )" with appropriate boxes in which the voters may express their choice. All qualified electors may vote by marking the ballot with a cross (x) or check (Tick) mark opposite the words of their choice.(c) The election commissioners shall canvass and determine the results of the election and shall certify the same to the board of supervisors which shall adopt and spread upon its minutes an order declaring such results. If, in such election, a majority of the qualified electors participating therein vote in favor of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of the county, this chapter shall be applicable and operative in the unincorporated areas of such county, and the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of the county shall be lawful to the extent and in the manner permitted in this chapter. If, on the other hand, a majority of the qualified electors participating in the election vote against allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, then it shall be illegal to cultivate, process, sell and/or distribute medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the unincorporated areas of the county. In either case, no further election shall be held in the county under the provisions of this section for a period of two (2) years from the date of the prior election and then only upon the filing of a petition requesting same signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the county as provided in this section.(4)(a) Upon presentation and filing of a proper petition requesting that the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, be legal in the municipality signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the municipality, it shall be the duty of the governing authorities of the municipality to call an election at which there shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the municipality the question of whether or not the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, shall be legal in the municipality as provided in this chapter. Such election shall be held and conducted on a date fixed by the order of the governing authorities of the municipality, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days from the date of the filing of the petition. Notice thereof shall be given by publishing such notice once each week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in some newspaper published in the municipality or if no newspaper be published therein, by such publication in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality involved. The election shall be held not earlier than fifteen (15) days from the first publication of such notice.(b) The election shall be held and conducted as far as may be possible in the same manner as is provided by law for the holding of municipal elections. The ballots used at the election shall contain a brief statement of the proposition submitted and, on separate lines, the words "I vote FOR allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in ________ [Name of Municipality] ( )" or "I vote AGAINST allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in ________ [Name of Municipality] ( )" with appropriate boxes in which the voters may express their choice. All qualified electors may vote by marking the ballot with a cross (x) or check (Trick) mark opposite the words of their choice.(c) The election commissioners shall canvass and determine the results of the election and shall certify the same to the governing authorities which shall adopt and spread upon their minutes an order declaring such results. If, in such election, a majority of the qualified electors participating therein vote in favor of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, this chapter shall be applicable and operative in such municipality and the cultivation, processing, sale, and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, therein shall be lawful to the extent and in the manner permitted in this chapter. If, on the other hand, a majority of the qualified electors participating in the election vote against allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, then it shall be illegal to cultivate, process, sell and/or distribute medical cannabis and cannabis products, as applicable, in the municipality. In either case, no further election shall be held in the municipality under the provisions of this section for a period of two (2) years from the date of the prior election and then only upon the filing of a petition requesting same signed by at least twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever number is the lesser, of the qualified electors of the municipality as provided in this section.(5) Regardless of whether a county or municipality opts out of allowing the cultivation, processing, sale and/or distribution of medical cannabis and cannabis products, cardholders, cannabis testing facilities, cannabis research facilities, cannabis transportation entities and cannabis disposal entities may possess medical cannabis in the municipality or county if done in accordance with this chapter.(6)(a) If a municipality that has opted out under this section annexes a geographic area which contains a licensed entity operating under the provisions of this chapter, then the licensed entity may continue its operation in that municipality's newly annexed geographic area.(b) If a licensed entity operating under the provisions of this chapter is located in a municipality that contracts its corporate boundaries thereby causing the geographic area in which the licensed entity is located to no longer be in the municipality and instead in an unincorporated area of a county that has opted out under this section, then the licensed entity may continue its operation in that area of the county.(7) In any county or municipality in which real property is owned, leased or otherwise controlled by a waterway district or water management district created in Title 51, Mississippi Code of 1972, the decision of the county or municipality to opt out or opt in as provided in this section shall be binding on all real property in such district. The ordinances of a county or municipality related to the provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to all real property within the respective boundaries of the county or municipality in such district.Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 436, HB 1158,§ 16, eff. 3/27/2023.Added by Laws, 2022, ch. 303, SB 2095,§ 30, eff. 2/2/2022.