On Tuesday, Paul A. Smith, RCRC Vice President of Governmental Affairs, testified in support of RCRC-sponsored Assembly Bill 2717 by Assembly Member Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale).
AB 2717 seeks to explicitly state that cities may contract with counties to arrange for fulfillment of regulatory functions within the incorporated area. Current law gives cities and counties the authority to allow for licensed commercial cannabis activities. In jurisdictions that allow for commercial cannabis activities, there are certain local regulatory functions that are devolved from the State and to be performed locally (inspection of weights and measures, various local environmental health duties, etc.). Senate Bill 94, which was enacted last June, consolidated licensure and regulation for both medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities. However, SB 94 left some ambiguity regarding which local government entity is responsible for certain regulatory functions for cannabis licensees within city limits. AB 2717 is a compromise between cities and counties in clarifying the responsibility for regulatory functions.
The text of AB 2717 can be accessed here. RCRC’s joint support letter with CSAC and UCC can be accessed here.