California Bill Requires Cities To Open Medical Cannabis Stores

Assembly Member Ting brought new life back into a bill that will require California cities that voted for Proposition 64 to open medical cannabis stores. Assembly Member Ting stopped AB-1356 during the last legislative session after the League of California Cities opposed the bill. The bill is scheduled for a third vote in the Assembly. 

An analysis of the legislation indicates that 76% of Californian cities ban medical storefronts as well as 69% of the counties. Assembly Member Ting believes that the legislation will help curb the black market and promote access to medical cannabis products.

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The number of medical cannabis stores that a city will be required to open will be based on the active number of liquor store licenses in the city. The amended bill reduced the number of medical cannabis permits that a city must offer from 25% of liquor store licenses to 16.6%. If the number results in a ratio greater than one than the city can limit the number of stores to one for every 15,000 residents in the city.

Cities that obtained a ballot vote on cannabis businesses on or after January 1, 2017 are exempt from this requirement. The bill also allows a city to reduce the number of required medical cannabis stores if a majority of voters support a ballot measure that contains an ordinance limiting medical cannabis dispensaries in the next upcoming election.