California Governor signs controversial cannabis revision law1

California has just signed a new law that consolidates the state’s cannabis programs into one division.

This was done to make regulatory oversight easier and to make access to licenses clearer and easier for those who want to find them.

It would consolidate the three existing agencies regulating legal cannabis in the state, namely the Bureau of Cannabis Control, CalCannabis within the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Cannabis Manufacturing Branch within the Department of Public Health. sole agency, the new cannabis control department.

This bill, Assembly Bill 141, also known as the Governor’s Trailer Bill, is endorsed by Governor Gavin Newsom.

This program, when made official, would extend the life of the preliminary licensing program to allow for preliminary approvals. These can be extended until January 1, 2025. Also, trade samples of cannabis products could be shared between companies to address another problem the industry is currently facing.

“This bill would require the Department of Cannabis Control to post information on its Internet website about the status of any license issued by the department, including the address of a licensee in the district,” reads the language of the bill. “As of January 1, 2022, the bill would require this information to include information on license suspensions and revocations and final decisions by the ministry. The bill would prohibit the disclosure of personal identification information, including home addresses, home phone numbers, dates of birth or social security numbers.

“This bill would empower the Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Department of Public Health to collect fees to cover the reasonable regulatory costs of performing the duties related to their respective programs and to impose and deny civil sanctions, suspend or revoke any registration or certification issued under these programs for specific violations. The bill would require that the Department of Food and Agriculture penalties or fees be deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and that the penalties or fees charged by the State Department of Public Health be paid into the Food Safety Fund. “

California cannabis changes on the horizon

Despite the fact that this bill will take many powerful steps, some experts say the move is not what it takes to make effective changes. Legislators who want further changes to the bill will begin this project in August.

“The state’s consolidation efforts fulfill the Newsom administration’s obligation to listen to and work with the California legal cannabis industry to streamline legal market participation by providing a single point of contact for licensed operators,” said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, secretary the Business, Consumer Services and Housing (BCSH) Agency said in a statement.

“I’m pretty confident it will be addressed,” said Genine Coleman, executive director of the Origins Council, which represents cannabis farmers across California, of the issues the cannabis industry wants to address. “The language in the invoice … has to be cleared up.”

The cannabis control department will be housed within the BCSH Agency. It will take on licensing and enforcement functions that have historically been performed by the Bureau of Cannabis Control, CalCannabis within the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Cannabis Manufacturing Branch within the Department of Public Health.

The DCC will also be responsible for the track and trace system, and the California Cannabis Portal is now on the DCC website. It will continue to serve as the primary contact and information point on cannabis and will remain live and accessible during the change.