CA SB 1064

Title: Cannabis: operator and separate premises license types: excessive concentration of licenses.
Author: John Laird

Summary
SB 1064, as amended, Laird. Cannabis: operator and separate premises license types: excessive concentration of licenses. Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), an initiative measure, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. Existing law, the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities, and establishes the Department of Cannabis Control to administer and enforce its provisions.MAUCRSA requires an applicant or licensee to apply for a separate license for each location where it engages in commercial cannabis activity. MAUCRSA sets forth a codified list of license types for different commercial cannabis activities, including, among others, retail sale, distribution, 2 types of manufacturing, laboratory testing, and various kinds and sizes of cultivation activities.This bill would revise the MAUCRSA licensing scheme for commercial cannabis activities other than cultivation and laboratory testing. Specifically, the bill would consolidate the licensing of those activities under one license type called an operator license, and would require an operator licensee to acquire an additional premises license specific to the activity to be conducted on the premises. The bill would make various conforming changes including by revising and recasting the codified list of license types. In this regard, the bill would list the cultivation and laboratory testing types under the unified license classification, would list the other commercial cannabis activity types under the premises license classification, and would establish the operator license classification as a single license type. The bill, until January 1, 2027, would deem the holder of an unexpired annual license on January 1, 2026, to hold, as applicable, either a unified license or both an operator license and the required premises license with the same expiration date as the annual license, as specified.MAUCRSA requires the department, in determining whether to grant, deny, or renew a specified license, to consider if an excessive concentration, as described, exists in the area where the licensee will operate.This bill would remove this requirement.This bill would make its provisions effective on January 1, 2026, and would make related legislative findings and declarations.AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions with a 2/3 vote of both houses to further its purposes and intent, except as specified.This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of AUMA, as described.

Status
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B., P. & E. D.

Bill Documents
CA SB 1064 - 04/16/24 - Amended Senate
04/16/24 - CA SB 1064 (04/16/24 - Amended Senate)