Cannabis Regulatory Update: NY's Community Weed Gardens, Cannabis Tax Cut In CA, NY Cannabis Conference, Iowa's Reform Campaign

New York Senator Files Bill To License Community Marijuana Gardens

Sen. Jeremy Cooney (D-NY) filed SB S9217 on Thursday. The legislation would allow the Cannabis Control Board to license “personal cultivation facilities,” for adults who can’t grow cannabis at home.

“The bill will ensure individuals who do not have a residence that is suitable for personal cultivation, such as most renters and individuals living in urban communities, still have the opportunity to utilize personal cultivation in a safe and controlled setting,” reported Marijuana Moment. Adults will be able to grow up to six plants, starting 18 months after the adult-use sales launch.

CA Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Budget Calls To Combat The Illicit Market

On Friday, CA Governor Gavin Newsom (D) presented an updated budget proposal that calls for eliminating the state’s marijuana cultivation tax to combat the illicit market. He wants to minimize the influence of illicit operators, reduce pressure on licit operators and stimulate competition in the formal market.

“California’s current cannabis tax framework is overly complex and burdensome for licensees and consumers. Current tax policies disproportionately burden cannabis farmers, create additional administrative costs and instability throughout the supply chain, and lack sufficient transparency for the state, businesses, and consumers. (...) These outcomes undermine the societal benefits of a taxed and regulated market,” per the revised budget. “The May Revision proposes statutory changes to reform cannabis taxes. These policy changes aim to greatly simplify the tax structure, remove unnecessary administrative burdens and costs, temporarily reduce the tax rate to support shifting consumers to the legal market, and stabilize the cannabis market with policies that are more transparent and can better adjust to market changes.”

Major changes include setting the cultivation tax rate at zero beginning July 1, 2022; shifting the point of collection and remittance for excise tax from distribution to retail on January 1, 2023 -maintaining a 15 percent excise tax rate; and “strengthening tax enforcement policies to increase tax compliance and collection and reduce unfair competition”.

NY Cannabis Insider Professional Conference On May 20th

The NY Cannabis Insider professional industry conference will be held on May 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany, reported syracuse.com. “NY Cannabis Insider business-to-business conferences feature the best and brightest industry thought leaders, sharing their knowledge and expertise on topics critical for those looking to start their cannabis ventures.”

Iowa: Activists Launch Campaign To Reform State Marijuana Laws

Brad Knott and Pete D’Alessandro, two activists who have worked in public policy in Iowa for decades, launched the Campaign for Sensible Cannabis Laws, a nonpartisan effort to reform Iowa's medical and recreational cannabis laws, reported thegazzette.com.

Knott’s plan is to give people a voice. He believes cannabis reform is an issue that resonates with voters. Thus, the campaign aims to show legislators that they actually have support to address cannabis reform “without being beaten down by the Republicans or the leadership.”

Photo by Olga DeLawrence on Unsplash.