HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1443        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Chynah Tyler

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1443        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 14(b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the number “15” and replacing it with the number “18” and inserting after the term "14A" the following:-

"an amount equal to 12 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund established in Section 14A for Social Equity Business technical assistance programs and support for socially or economically disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, businesses owned by people who have been arrested for a marijuana-related offense or their immediate family members, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned, or immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital, provided further that 10 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the executive office of economic development to administer a community empowerment and reinvestment grant program, provided further that 5 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund established in section 14A to provide matching grants to municipal equity funds, provided further that 5 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Control Commission for its Social Equity Program and implementation of procedures and policies to promote and encourage full participation in the regulated marijuana industry by people from communities that have previously been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement and to positively impact those communities. The community empowerment and reinvestment grant program will strengthen and invest in communities: (i) that are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system; (ii) where a high percentage of individuals’ incomes fall below 250 per cent of the federal poverty level; and (iii) with a large population of socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided, that the board established in this item in section 2 of chapter 227 of the acts of 2020 shall make recommendations to the executive office on the criteria for making grants available to communities and organizations; provided further, that said board shall consist of individuals from and with experience advocating on behalf of said communities; provided further, that said board shall be comprised entirely of individuals who belong to a demographic of socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided further, that eligible uses of grant funding shall include, but not be limited to, for socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups: (a) job training, job creation and job placement for those who face high barriers to employment in said communities; (b) transitional employment programs, social enterprise, pre-apprenticeship or other training programs; (c) school-based or community-based high school dropout prevention and re-engagement programs; (d) cooperative, microbusiness, and small business development programs and community-based workforce development programs; and (e) programs focused on housing stabilization services, addiction treatment and trauma-informed mental health care; and provided further, that not later than April 1, 2025, the executive office shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing: (1) criteria established for creating grants; (2) grants approved under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; (3) grants expected to be approved under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; and (4) the status of funds distributed for approved grants."

SECTION 2. Section 14A(a) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “applicants” the following:-

“and organizations that support their businesses and workforces. Grant and loan programs for businesses and nonprofit organizations may fund technical assistance projects on behalf of Social Equity Businesses and general operating support to socially or economically disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses, that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital, and that have a demonstrated experience supporting cannabis businesses, including annual grants of not less than $250,000 to The EON Foundation, not less than $500,000 to the Coalition for an Equitable Economy, and not less than $500,000 to Mass CultivatED.”

SECTION 3. Section 14A(b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out “2 persons” and replacing it with “3 persons” and inserting after the phrase “preferably in the cannabis industry” the following:-

“with one designated ancillary business representative”

SECTION 4. Section 14A(c) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the phrase “social equity businesses” the following: -

“ancillary organizations”

and by striking out the number “5” and replacing it with the number “2” and inserting after “from receipt of a Provisional License from the Cannabis Control Commission”