An owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles prepares his monthly tax payment in June 2017. (Jae C. Hong, Associated Press)

Montana reminds medical marijuana providers to pay taxes

BILLINGS, Mont. — Montana will send notices to remind medical marijuana providers to pay taxes after less than half of the providers that paid taxes last fall paid again at the quarterly deadline.

The Billings Gazette reports the Montana Department of Revenue received $207,000 in taxes from medical marijuana as of last week — less than the $395,000 collected in October.

The department says the recent tax payments came from 189 providers, but 434 providers paid last fall.

According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 611 providers are registered in the state program.

Providers are currently taxed at a 4 percent rate on gross receipts. The tax will be reduced to 2 percent starting July 2018.

Revenue department officials say the reminder letters will be sent out this week.

Information from: The Billings Gazette