BILL NUMBER: S9148REVISED 5/2/24
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the cannabis law, in relation to exempting the town of
Pound Ridge from the establishment of retail dispensary licenses and
on-site consumption licenses for cannabis
 
PURPOSE:
To provide a 9 month window for the Town of Pound Ridge to pass a local
law prohibiting the issuance of any retail sale or on-site consumption
cannabis licenses within the town.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 131 of the cannabis law by adding a new subdi-
vision 1-a to provide a 9 month window for the Town of Pound Ridge to
pass a local law prohibiting the issuance of any retail sale or on-site
consumption cannabis licenses within the town.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Marijuana Legalization and Taxation Act (MRTA) provided localities
with the opportunity to pass a local law opting out of allowing retail
sale and on-premise use cannabis licenses to be issued for their commu-
nities. Localities wishing to opt out had until December 31, 2021 to do
so.1 According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, 753 munici-
palities opted out of allowing dispensary licenses; 877 opted out of
allowing on-site consumption licenses.2
Pound Ridge is a small, residential community in northern Westchester,
near the border with Connecticut. The Town Board did not choose to opt-
out during the period provided by the MRTA. In the time since, residents
have expressed growing concern about the possibility of a dispensary
opening in Pound Ridge, including whether the town has the infrastruc-
ture to handle the increased traffic. Further, some residents have
raised concerns that there was inadequate opportunity for public input
as the Board considered whether to opt-out. A cannabis shop recently
opened in Pound Ridge, thereby making this issue more pressing.
The Town Board has since reversed its position, passing a resolution in
December 2023 requesting the opportunity for a new opt-out window. This
legislation would provide that opportunity, allowing the Town of Pound
Ridge a 9 month period to consider and pass, if they so choose, a local
law opting out of retail or on-site cannabis licenses.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 Chapter 92 of the laws of 2021
2 https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/state-local-government /municipal-
opt-outtracker/

Statutes affected:
S9148: 131 cannabis law