Michigan CRA Holds Hearing on Updated Cannabis Rules

CRA Advances Rulemaking Process with Stakeholder Input Session

The July 31 hearing gave Michigan operators, testing labs, and advocacy groups their first formal opportunity to comment on draft rule changes published earlier this year. According to the CRA's public notice, the proposed amendments address product testing standards, microbial contamination limits, and revisions to the state's track-and-trace system integration requirements. The agency didn't release a finalized text at the hearing. Comments submitted during the session will inform the next draft.

Michigan law requires the CRA to hold at least one public hearing before finalizing administrative rules under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act and the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. The hearing fulfills that statutory obligation. The CRA hasn't announced a timeline for publishing final rules, though industry attorneys expect a 60-to-90-day comment review period before any changes take effect.

Key Proposed Changes Target Testing and Compliance Timelines

Draft language circulated ahead of the hearing suggests the CRA plans to tighten microbial contamination thresholds and expand the list of required pesticide screenings. Current rules mandate testing for 21 pesticide compounds. The proposed update would add 14 more. That would align Michigan's panel with California's and Oregon's broader screening lists. Testing labs testified at the hearing that the expanded panel would require new instrumentation and could add $50 to $75 per batch test, a cost likely passed to cultivators.

The draft also proposes extending the remediation window for failed batches from 10 business days to 15 business days, a change cultivators have lobbied for since 2024. Failed flower batches currently must be destroyed or converted to concentrate within the 10-day window. The extension would give operators more time to assess remediation options without triggering automatic disposal.

What Happens Next in Michigan's Rulemaking Timeline

The CRA will compile written and oral testimony from the July 31 hearing and publish a summary of stakeholder feedback within 30 days. After reviewing comments, the agency will issue a revised draft or proceed directly to final rules. If the CRA opts for a second comment period, expect another 30-day window before finalization. Once final rules are published in the Michigan Register, they take effect 7 days later unless the agency specifies a delayed effective date.

Operators should monitor the CRA's rulemaking docket for the post-hearing summary and any revised draft language. For full background on Michigan's regulatory framework and prior rule updates, see the CannIntel topic hub on Michigan CRA cannabis rules.

Enforcement will vary during the transition. The CRA has historically granted 60-to-90-day grace periods for new testing requirements, but that practice isn't codified. Expect compliance officers to issue warnings rather than citations in the first 60 days after final rules publish, though that's not guaranteed.