Los Angeles Licensing Comes to a Halt – What’s Next for the DCR, Licensees and Desiring Applicants?
Over 160 days have passed since Phase 3 Round 1, and the DCR has paused all processing of applications due to a pending audit and stakeholders are getting desperate. While they hang in limbo, DCR has provided an update of the status of all licensing matters. Read below for the full LA licensing update and […]
Political Struggles in Sacramento Add to Industry’s Policy Challenges
By now, legislators have introduced most of the bills that they will try to pass through in 2020. The illicit market, lack of access, and financial concerns have come out as top concerns for the industry this year. While some legislators have started by pushing old bills forward, others are trying to implement more innovative […]
Looking Through the Crystal Ball – 2020’s Cannabis Law Predictions
In California, 2019 was an interesting year and 2020 will continue to challenge cannabis business operators almost to a breaking point, but the hardships suffered this year will pave the way for major regulatory reform and tax reform. Those that survive this year’s struggles will reap the benefits. For over twenty years, cannabis business owners […]
New Year, New Regulator? Newsom Proposes Big Changes for California
Governor Newsom and his Administration are starting out the new decade strong with a proposed budget that benefits from a generous surplus. The $222.2 billion budget plan includes new funding for many programs and restructuring of others, including the regulatory framework for the cannabis industry. The proposals don’t include many specifics yet, but they will […]
USDA Interim Final Hemp Rules
On October 31, 2019 — yes, on Halloween and almost a year after the legalization of commercial hemp production — the USDA finally released its interim final rule (“IFR”) to establish the Domestic Hemp Production Program. As you may recall, on December 20, 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 — better known as the […]
Coming Soon: Compassionate Care Program Implementation
As people prepare for 2020, it’s important to remember that new cannabis laws will go into effect beginning January 1. A couple of notable ones are Jojo’s law (SB 223, authorizes local education authorities to adopt policies that allow a student’s parent or guardian to administer certain types of medical cannabis on school grounds) and […]
Looking Ahead: California in Need of Creative Solutions for Regulatory Burdens
Black Friday may be right around the corner, but the state isn’t making it easy for cannabis business owners to see their accounting books transition into the black this year. Business owners striving to be compliant are still facing what seem to be insurmountable challenges in order to succeed between burdensome regulations, fierce, unfair competition […]
SAFE Banking: Crucial for Hemp Businesses to be Welcomed by Financial Institutions.
It’s no secret that the conflict between state and federal law has created banking issues for hundreds of state-licensed and regulated marijuana businesses. Cue the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 – This bill, better known as the SAFE Banking Act, was passed by the House of Representatives on September 25, 2019 with […]
LA Cannabis Business Licensing – BOO! The Phase 1, 2 and 3 Shenanigans
Since our last LA Update, the application submission process for Phase 3, Round 1 has come and gone and there have been numerous announcements and new proposed rulemakings for all cannabis-related businesses in Los Angeles. Phase 1 EMMDs will finally start having their annual applications reviewed, Phase 2 Authorized Non-Retailers have numerous upcoming deadlines and […]
Newsom Pushes California Cannabis in Right Direction
Going into the end of the legislative session, many members of the cannabis industry were optimistic about the fate of cannabis-related bills as they crossed Governor Newsom’s desk. A leader of California’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy and a strong proponent of Prop 64, Newsom has been a poster boy for the cannabis industry […]