New York Governor is looking at possible leadership changes in the state’s cannabis regulatory apparatus. She has expressed her frustration over the turbulent legalization launch. State senators have also raised this issue with officials, telling them to “do more.”
There’s no secret about Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), is growing impatient with the slow licensing process for cannabis retailers. She has expressed that she is “very frustrated” by the “disaster”, which is the delay in licensing cannabis retailers.
The governor proposes to increase enforcement authority to better position officials to deal with unlicensed businesses, but she complains that she is “operating within the limitations of this law,” which was passed before she became president.
Hochul stated on Monday that “we need to give localities and sheriffs in New York, as well as the Department of Finance and Taxation the ability to padlock stores which have established this illegal market. This is even in competition with the ones we are trying to open up a new industry. “So, I’m still not satisfied. I want to see more enforcement. I am interested in leadership. “I’m looking for opportunities to make major change.”
The governor, while she has placed some blame for the long implementation process on the regulators – and also intervened after she learned that the Cannabis Control Board was only planning to grant three additional licenses during a meeting that has since been cancelled last month – also acknowledged that litigation by “greedy out-of state” operators who blocked licensing for several months before an injunction lifted last December.
In response to a query by CNY Central, “We will work through this,” was said. We will probably look back and see that there were a lot growing pains. It was difficult. It was hard. “I’m trying to find solutions and I take this very seriously.”
Last week, a coalition of state senators that are members of a Cannabis Committee which discussed the problems of the legalization rollout back in October sent a letter to CCB’s head expressing “concerns with the timeline for the licensing of adult use cannabis dispensaries.”
The letter was signed by six Senators. .
They wrote: “We owe New Yorkers a better job.” “We think a full-scale adult-use cannabis program is possible. But there needs to be an aggressive licensing schedule, more transparency in the agency, and constant communication between applicants and licensees. Together, we can build the most fair cannabis market in the country.
Last month, the Governor released his budget plan, which calls for the removal of the THC potency taxes. This is to make the regulated cannabis market more competitive with illicit operators.
At the last meeting, which was cancelled, officials were also scheduled to discuss proposed regulations allowing adults to grow cannabis at home.
A bill introduced in the Assembly last week would give local governments the authority to close down cannabis businesses that are not licensed and seize the products.
In December alone, over a dozen cannabis retailers opened after a settlement agreement lifted an injunction which had imposed months-long licensing blocks.
In December the Department of Labor published dozens of job descriptions for legal industry. Officials said that the purpose of the sample job descriptions was to streamline the hiring process and to allow potential employees to evaluate their qualifications in order to work in different roles within the emerging marijuana industry.
Hochul signed a separate bill in November to provide tax relief to New York City marijuana businesses that are currently blocked from making federal deductions under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. She also signed a bill to give tax relief to New York City cannabis businesses who are currently barred from taking federal deductions due to an Internal Revenue Service code called 280E.
New York City’s tax laws were not affected by the change in Hochul’s budget bill of 2022, which included provisions allowing state-level cannabis businesses tax deductions. This new measure is intended to close that policy gap.
Hochul vetoed a bill that would have allowed Hemp seeds to be added to animal feeds for horses, pets and camelids like llamas or alpacas.
In September, about 66 state legislators–about one-third of the state legislature as a whole–also sent Hochul an email urging her to sign a law that would permit licensed marijuana producers to sell their products to tribal retailers . This plan would provide a way for cannabis farmers to release surpluses they have but are unable to sell. Hochul, however, vetoed the bill last month.
Photo by WeedPornDaily.
The post New York Gov. Eyes Marijuana Regulation Leadership Change Amid Growing Dissatisfaction Over Licensing Delayed first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
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