{"AmendmentNumber":"30","ParentBillNumber":"H4187","Bill":null,"Sponsor":{"Id":"CJW1","Name":"Christopher J. Worrell","Type":1,"Details":"https://malegislature.gov/api/GeneralCourts/194/LegislativeMembers/CJW1","ResponseDate":"2025-06-03T16:22:52.71"},"Category":null,"Action":"Withdrawn","RollCall":[],"Title":"Providing Relief While Protecting Equity","Branch":"House","RedraftNumber":null,"IsFurther":false,"GeneralCourtNumber":194,"Text":"Mr. Worrell of Boston moves to amend the bill by striking out certain words in multiple sections and inserting the following new text:\r\n\r\nSection 1.\r\n\r\nIn section 34 by striking out, in line 458, the figure “6” and inserting in its place:-\r\n\r\n“4”.\r\n\r\nSection 2.\r\n\r\nIn section 34 by striking out, in line 469, the phrase “in a” and inserting in its place:-\r\n\r\n“in one additional license and less than 10% in any additional”.\r\n\r\n\r\nSection 3.\r\n\r\nIn section 52 by striking out, in lines 907 and 908, the phrase “, or more than 5 retail licenses until thirty-six months after the effective date of this Act”.\r\n\r\nSection 4.\r\n\r\nBy inserting the following section:-\r\n\r\n“SECTION 60. (a) There shall be a special legislative commission pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to examine and make recommendations regarding the appropriate structure and limits of marijuana and medical marijuana licensure to ensure a competitive, equitable, and sustainable cannabis marketplace in the Commonwealth.\r\n\r\n(b) The commission shall include:\r\n\r\nthe house and senate chairs of the joint committee on cannabis policy, who shall serve as co-chairs;\r\nthe house and senate chairs of the joint committee on ways & means or their designee;\r\nthe house and senate chairs of the joint committee community development and small businesses or their designee;\r\none member appointed by the speaker of the house;\r\none member appointed by the senate president;\r\none member appointed by the house minority leader;\r\none member appointed by the senate minority leader;\r\nthe chair of the massachusetts black and latino legislative caucus, or a designee;\r\nthe executive director of the cannabis control commission, or a designee;\r\nthe secretary of economic development, or a designee;\r\ncannabis advisory board members\r\nwhom shall be an expert in marijuana cultivation,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in marijuana retailing,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in marijuana product manufacturing,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in laboratory sciences and toxicology,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in providing legal services to marijuana businesses,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in minority business development,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in economic development strategies for under-resourced communities, whom shall be an expert in farming or representing the interests of farmers,\r\nwhom shall be an expert representing the interests of employers,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in social welfare or social justice,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in criminal justice reform to mitigate the disproportionate impact of drug prosecutions on communities of color,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in minority business ownership,\r\nwhom shall be an expert in women-owned business ownership and\r\nwhom shall be an expert in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders;\r\nthe executive director of equitable opportunities now, or a designee;\r\nthe executive director of the massachusetts cannabis coalition, or a designee;\r\nthe executive director of the massachusetts cannabis business association, or a designee;\r\nseven social equity business owners appointed one each by the\r\nGovernor,\r\ntreasurer,\r\nattorney general,\r\nspeaker of the house,\r\nsenate president,\r\nhouse minority leader, and\r\nsenate minority leader;\r\nSeven general applicant license owners who do not hold licenses in other states appointed one each by the\r\nGovernor,\r\ntreasurer,\r\nattorney general,\r\nspeaker of the house,\r\nsenate president,\r\nhouse minority leader, and\r\nsenate minority leader;\r\nFive general applicant license owners who hold licenses in other states appointed one each by the\r\nGovernor,\r\ntreasurer,\r\nattorney general,\r\nspeaker of the house,\r\nsenate president,\r\n\r\n\r\n(c) The commission shall:\r\n\r\nreview data regarding license ownership, control, and equity outcomes;\r\nassess the impact of increasing the retail license limit to 4 and allowing limited joint ventures with control up to 35% ownership stakes\r\nrequest and/or commission research from the cannabis control commission’s research department, the umass donahue institute, massachusetts budget and policy priorities, and other independent nonprofits and academic research institutions\r\nconvene public listening sessions and invite special guests to public meetings to gather input from affected stakeholders and expert testimony;\r\nevaluate the impact of market concentration on small and equity businesses;\r\nconsider best practices in other states to preserve competitive and diverse cannabis markets; and\r\npropose recommendations for future statutory or regulatory reforms to ensure broad-based opportunity and prevent monopolization or anti-competitive behavior.\r\n\r\n(d) The commission shall hold its first meeting within twelve months of the effective date of this law, hold no less than three public listening sessions and three public meetings per year, and accept written testimony. The commission shall file a report, including any recommendations for legislation, with the House and Senate Clerks no later than five years after the effective date of this law.\r\n\r\n"}