Amendment #70 to H3768

Opt-In Provisions for Cannabis Cafes

Mr. Rogers of Cambridge moves to amend the bill in SECTION 2, by adding the following subsection in section 6:-

“(f) The legislative body of a municipality shall, upon the filing with the city or town clerk of a petition meeting the requirements of this subsection and signed by not fewer than 10 per cent of the number of voters of such city or town voting at the preceding biennial state election, request that the question of whether to allow, in such city or town, the sale of adult use cannabis for consumption on the premises of an adult use cannabis establishment to the voters of such city or town, shall cause the following question to be placed on the ballot:

Shall this [city or town] allow the sale of adult use cannabis, as defined in section 2 of chapter 10A of the General Laws, for consumption on the premises of the adult use cannabis establishment, a summary of which appears below:

A fair and concise summary of the question shall be prepared by the city solicitor or town counsel.

If a majority of the votes cast in the city or town are not in favor of allowing the consumption of adult use cannabis on the premises of the adult use cannabis establishment, such city or town shall not have authorized the consumption of adult use cannabis on the premises of the adult use cannabis establishment.

The petition shall be on a form prepared by the secretary of the commonwealth, and shall be submitted forthwith after filing to the board of registrars or election commissioners who shall have 7 days after receipt to certify the signatures of registered voters. Upon certification of the signatures, the question shall be placed upon the ballot at the next occurring regular municipal or state election, provided that the question may only appear on a municipal ballot for an election to be held at least 35 days after certification. To have the question appear on the biennial state election, the city or town clerk must provide notice, including the ballot question and summary as prepared by the city solicitor or town counsel, to the secretary of the commonwealth no later than the first Wednesday in August before that election.”