(a)
All persons required to be licensed involved in the cultivation and retail sale of marijuana or marijuana products must obtain a separate permit from the board pursuant to regulations adopted by the board. No fee shall be charged to any person for issuance of the permit. Any person required to obtain a permit who engages in business as a cultivator, dispensary, retailer, microbusiness or nonprofit pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 19300) of Division 8 or Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code without a permit or after a permit has been canceled, suspended, or revoked, and each officer of any corporation which so engages in business, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b)
The board may
require every licensed dispensary, cultivator, microbusiness, nonprofit, or other person required to be licensed, to provide security to cover the liability for taxes imposed by state law on marijuana produced or received by the cultivator, microbusiness, nonprofit, or other person required to be licensed in accordance with procedures to be established by the board. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the board may waive any security requirement it imposes for good cause, as determined by the board. “Good cause” includes, but is not limited to, the inability of a cultivator, microbusiness, nonprofit, or other person required to be licensed to obtain security due to a lack of service providers or the policies of service providers that prohibit service to a marijuana business. A person may not commence or continue any business or operation relating to marijuana cultivation until any surety required by the board with respect to the business or operation has been properly prepared, executed and
submitted under this part.
(c)
In fixing the amount of any security required by the board, the board shall give consideration to the financial hardship that may be imposed on licensees as a result of any shortage of available surety providers.