The Oregon Senate has approved legislation that would allow marijuana businesses to share and sell products at certain events, while also expanding rules around employee access to samples.
Senate Bill 558 passed in a 19 to 9 vote yesterday and now heads to the House for consideration. If passed by the House, it will be sent to Governor Tina Kotek for consideration.
If enacted, the bill would authorize marijuana producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers to provide samples of marijuana items to other licensed businesses and permitted workers at trade shows and similar events registered with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC). It would also allow wholesalers to sell marijuana products directly to retailers at such events.
In addition, the measure would allow producers to give employees samples of seeds and immature plants, while all licensees could provide small quantities of usable marijuana, concentrates, extracts, and packaged products to their workers. Transfers would be tracked under OLCC rules, with limits consistent with existing regulations.
Under the bill, marijuana items could be transported to and exhibited at events such as the Oregon State Fair, so long as the products are tracked and returned to licensed premises afterward. The OLCC is authorized to adopt rules to implement the changes, including oversight for temporary event registration.
Senate Bill 558 was sponsored by Senator Floyd Prozanski (D) and Senator James Manning Jr. (D). If passed by the House and signed into law, the changes would take effect 91 days after the legislative session ends, with implementation set for January 1, 2026.
