The bill amends the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, focusing on the structure and responsibilities of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. It establishes a five-member commission with the chair selected by a majority of the authorized members instead of solely by the Governor, and clarifies that the chair will not have direct supervisory powers over other members. The bill increases the salaries for the chair to a maximum of $165,000 and for other members to $160,000. It also introduces a Code of Ethics for commission members and employees, prohibiting them from engaging with cannabis businesses during their tenure and for two years after leaving the commission. Additionally, the commission is required to conduct an independent study within three years to evaluate its effectiveness.

The legislation further amends regulations concerning municipal authority over cannabis establishments, allowing commission members to meet with any person regarding pending applications, provided these meetings are logged for public inspection. It empowers municipalities to enact ordinances regulating cannabis businesses, including the ability to prohibit certain classes, while ensuring that existing medical cannabis dispensaries are not subject to local restrictions if they have been operating lawfully for at least 180 days. The bill also allows state officers and their immediate family members to work with medical cannabis entities under certain conditions, while maintaining a two-year prohibition on post-employment activities related to cannabis licensing. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the regulatory framework for cannabis operations while upholding ethical standards for public officials.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 24:6I-24, 24:6I-27, 24:6I-45, 52:13D-17.2