Indopedia All Things Marijuana
California Weighs Nearly a Dozen Marijuana-related Laws; Colorado May Allow Pot ‘Tasting Rooms’; Iowa May Exempt CBD from Sales Tax
Cannabis legislation in California, Colorado, Delaware and Iowa will receive hearings during the week of Monday, April 23, 2018.
California’s elected officials debate the pros and cons of greater racial and gender business equity in the cannabis industry, while at least two other states are working toward passing some reform-minded policies of their own.
Iowa legislators will consider the exemption of medical cannabidiol products from the state sales tax. And in Delaware, a House committee will consider expanding the list of qualifying conditions for the state’s medical marijuana program.
Another busy week for proposed cannabis legislation around the country, it’s time to cultivate some knowledge and roll on.
California
SB 1294, a bill to create greater parity in the cannabis application process for minorities, women, individuals of low income, veterans, and those with prior convictions was scheduled to receive a hearing by the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development committee on Monday April 23, 2018 at 1 p.m. in Room 3191 of the Capitol in Sacramento. Per the proposed legislation, “The bill would require the Bureau of Cannabis Control to establish a cannabis equity task force.” The proposed legislation would require the bureau to “provide technical support to state and local equity applicants and assistance in securing business locations, and would require the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, known as “GO-Biz,” to assist state and local equity applicants and licensees with gaining access to reduced-interest and interest-free loans, and grants” effective Jan. 1, 2019.
More California marijuana legislation being heard this week
AB 3157 proposes to suspend the cultivation tax rate for the first three years. The legislation was scheduled for hearing on Monday, April 23, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. before the Assembly Revenue And Taxation Committee in State Capitol Room 126 in Sacramento.
SB 1409 proposes to changing the definition of industrial hemp under the California Uniform Controlled Substance Act to a fiber or oilseed crop. The bill would also delete the requirements that industrial hemp seed cultivators be certified before January 1, 2013, in order to be included on the list of approved cultivars. The industrial hemp legislation was scheduled to receive a hearing on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. before the Senate Public Safety Committee in Room 3191 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 2255 proposes a $500 fine for licensed distributors found to violate state cannabis delivery requirements. The bill on legal cannabis distribution, deliveries, and violations was scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 9 a.m. before the Assembly Public Safety Committee in Room 126 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 2525 proposes to authorize the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to survey illegal cannabis cultivation on public lands and eradicate unauthorized plant grows The bill was scheduled to be heard Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 9 a.m. before the Assembly Water, Parks, And Wildlife Committee in Room 444 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 2866 proposes to fine a cannabis-related business licensee, or a licensed or unlicensed cannabis-related business, that uses a false license number. Violators would face a civil penalty of $10,000 per incident.
The legislation will be heard Tuesday, April 24 at 9 a.m. before the Assembly Public Safety Hearing Committee in State Capitol, Room 126.
AB 2810 proposes to create the California Sun-Grown Cannabis Commission. The proposed panel would be charged with a defined membership, be authorized to conduct research for specified purposes, and would assess the effects of local and state regulations on the cannabis products industries. The commission would also collect and disseminate market price information to prevent unfair trade practices. The California Sun-Grown Cannabis Commission was scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. before the Assembly Business and Professions committee in Room 4202 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 3069 would allow the state to issue licenses to a cannabis-related event on county fairgrounds or district agricultural association events, as well as allow government officials to attend cannabis-related events with an informational or educational purpose. . The bill’s text said, “a cannabis informational, educational, or training event may be held for state and local government officials including, but not limited to, legislators, city council members, law enforcement organizations, emergency medical services staff, firefighters, child protective services, and social workers.” The events cannot be open to the public and cannabis sales or consumption would be forbidden. The bill was scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. before the Assembly Business and Professions Committee in Room 4202 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 3112 would make it illegal to sell nonodorized butane to the general public. The bill would exempt from the prohibition certain consumer items, such as lighters and small containers of nonodorized butane used to refill these items. The bill would authorize a civil penalty to be assessed for the violation of these provisions and would authorize specified local and state officials to bring a civil action to enforce these provisions. The butane bill was scheduled to receive a hearing before the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at 9 a.m. in Room 4202 of the Capitol in Sacramento
SB 930 proposes to create state-licensed banks to handle deposits from California’s legal cannabis businesses. “The bill would create the Cannabis Limited Charter Bank Advisory Board and specify its composition, to include the Treasurer, the Controller,” and “the Chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control.” The bill was scheduled to be heard before the Senate Governance and Finance Committee on Wednesday, April 23, 2018, at 9:30 AM in Room 112 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
AB 2069 would prohibit an employer to discriminate against an employee or a prospective hire based upon the person’s status as a qualified medical cannabis patient or person covered by protections of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The medicinal cannabis and employment discrimination legislation was scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Labor And Employment Committee on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 127 of the Capitol in Sacramento.
Colorado
HB 1053 would allow cannabis cultivators to use reclaimed domestic wastewater. “Section 3 of the bill defines 3 categories of water quality standards for reclaimed domestic wastewater, sets forth the allowable uses for each water quality standard category, and adds marijuana cultivation as an allowable use for reclaimed domestic wastewater.” Another cultivation bill, Colorado HB 1389, would create a centralized distribution permit for cultivation facilities or retail marijuana grows.The bills were scheduled for a hearing Monday at 1:30 p.m. before the House Finance Committee in Room A of the Legislative Service Building in Denver.
HB 1258 seeks to establish dispensary “tasting rooms” in Colorado. This bill would “authorizes each licensed medical marijuana center or retail marijuana shop” to establish specific on-site locations for consuming Concentrates and pre-run flower. The proposed legislation also contains requirements for obtaining endorsements, authorizing an establishment, and required actions and prohibited actions for persons operating an establishment. The proposed legislation was scheduled to be heard before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Room Room 112 of the Capitol in Denver.
Iowa
SF 2372 would exempt medicinal cannabidiol, or CBD, products from the 6 percent Iowa sales tax, and expand the list of acceptable medical conditions eligible for Iowa’s medical cannabis program. The proposed legislation was scheduled to receive a hearing before the Senate Ways And Means Committee on Monday, April 23, 2018, at 2 p.m. at the Capitol in Des Moines. According to the Iowa Department of Health, there are currently only nine qualifying conditions.
Delaware
HB 374 seeks to add glaucoma, chronic debilitating migraines, pediatric autism spectrum disorder, and pediatric sensory processing disorder to the list of conditions
eligible for the use of medical cannabis. The proposed bill was scheduled for a hearing before the Health and Human Development Committee on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. in the House Chamber in Dover.
Additionally, key pieces of proposed federal marijuana legislation picked up new sponsors: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, (D-MN) cosponsored The Therapeutic Medical Access Act of 2017 (S 1008), Sen. Bernie Sanders, (DI-VT), cosponsored The Marijuana Justice Act of 2017 (S 1689), and Sen. Michael Sen. Bennet, Michael F. (D-CO) signed on to the The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (S 2667).
