With California’s 2021-22 Legislative Session in full swing, CCIA’s legislative and regulatory staff is hard at work advocating on behalf of our state’s legal cannabis industry, albeit a little differently than in past years. Due to COVID-19, we anticipate that work on behalf of our members will remain socially distanced until at least mid-year, and we remain nimble as the legislative calendar continues to change. However, CCIA staff, as well as legislators, Capitol staff, and our colleagues have largely adjusted to this new normal. 

In January, Governor Newsom announced a plan for all state cannabis licenses, which are currently regulated by three state agencies, to be regulated by a newly established Department of Cannabis Control by July 1, 2021. This consolidation process, by which the Administration is engaging with the Legislature and relevant stakeholders to develop a framework for the unified agency, is the primary point of advocacy for CCIA’s myriad priorities in 2021. Guided by our 2020 Regulatory Recommendations document released in August, CCIA has been advocating for a more streamlined regulatory system and requesting long-needed reforms in the supply chain. 

Outside of consolidation, CCIA’s top priority is SB 59 by Senator Caballero, which seeks to extend the provisional licence program for 6 years. Currently, about 80% of the cannabis industry operates on provisional licenses, which are set to expire January 1, 2022. Without a remedy as found in SB 59, a vast majority of California’s cannabis businesses will be forced to cease operations.

With  SB 59 currently referred to both the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee and the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, CCIA Legislative staff is meeting daily with Senators in both parties to ensure a strong passage of SB 59. Submit a letter of support for SB 59 by clicking the link below: