1. In determining whether to issue an adult-use cannabis establishment license pursuant to NRS 678B.250, the Board shall, in addition to the factors set forth in that section, consider criteria of merit established by regulation of the Board. Such criteria must include, without limitation:

(a) Whether the applicant controls liquid assets in an amount determined by the Board to be sufficient to cover the initial expenses of opening the proposed adult-use cannabis establishment and complying with the provisions of this title;

(b) Whether the owners, officers or board members of the proposed adult-use cannabis establishment have direct experience with the operation of a cannabis establishment in this State and have demonstrated a record of operating such an establishment in compliance with the laws and regulations of this State for an adequate period of time to demonstrate success;

(c) The educational and life experience of the persons who are proposed to be owners, officers or board members of the proposed adult-use cannabis establishment;

(d) Whether the applicant has an integrated plan for the care, quality and safekeeping of cannabis from seed to sale;

(e) The experience of key personnel that the applicant intends to employ in operating the type of adult-use cannabis establishment for which the applicant seeks a license;

(f) The diversity on the basis of race, ethnicity or gender of the applicant or the persons who are proposed to be owners, officers or board members of the proposed adult-use cannabis establishment, including, without limitation, the inclusion of persons of backgrounds which are disproportionately underrepresented as owners, officers or board members of adult-use cannabis establishments; and

(g) Any other criteria of merit that the Board determines to be relevant.

2. The Board shall adopt regulations for determining the relative weight of each criteria of merit established by the Board pursuant to subsection 1.

(Added to NRS by 2019, 3797, effective July 1, 2020)