Cuomo Gone – Will It Speed Up Or Slow Down State’s Cannabis Reform

Well, as you may have guessed, some say it will others say not.

MJ biz err on the side of caution and expect delays especially for smaller operators. That probably would have happened anyway!

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that he would resign from office amid sexual-harassment and assault allegations added fuel to the political crisis rocking the state and could further slow the rollout of the recreational marijuana program he signed into law.
Any delays could hurt smaller operators in particular, including social equity applicants, who plan to apply for licenses to operate cultivation facilities, shops and other businesses in a market that is expected to exceed $2 billion in annual sales in a few years time.
The turmoil engulfing the governor also could hold up appointments to the state’s new Cannabis Control Board.

 

Business Insider, to the other hand argue

Cuomo’s resignation could speed up legal cannabis sales in New York

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation may be beneficial for the state’s fledgling cannabis industry.

His replacement, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, could speed up the timeline for recreational marijuana sales.

Here’s what analysts, executives and lawyers expect to happen next

https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-cannabis-cuomo-resignation-speed-up-marijuana-sales-timeline-2021-8?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BI%20Insider%20Exclusive:%20Cuomo%E2%80%99s%20Resignation%20-%208/11/2021&utm_term=Cannabis%20+%20Alert%20Test&r=AU&IR=T

 

Law firm Harris Bricken also have something to say on the matter

Andrew Cuomo Is Out, Kathy Hochul Is In (And Hopefully So Is New York’s Cannabis Control Board)

Yesterday morning New York Governor Cuomo announced his resignation (which will take effect in 13 days), a week after a report from the New York State attorney general concluded that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed nearly a dozen women. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will then be sworn in as the first woman to hold the position of New York’s Governor.

Lt. Governor Hochul stepping in as New York’s governor should have an immediate and, in our view, positive impact on New York’s cannabis industry. We expect to see a lot of developments over the next two weeks, all of which we will be discussing during our upcoming webinar on August 17, 2021 with New York City Council Member Keith Powers (Register here!).

Before we get into the details, a brief refresher on the governor’s power pursuant to New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. New York’s cannabis industry (recreational, medical, and hemp) will be in the hands of the Cannabis Control Board, a governing body which we have been waiting to be formed since the MRTA was signed into law on March 31, 2021. The CCB will be responsible for all aspects of cannabis, including the allocation of licenses, licensing regulations and requirements, and general oversight of the industry.

The CCB will be comprised of a 5-member board, with the governor appointing three members and the Assembly and Senate each appointing one member. The CCB’s chairperson will be nominated by the Governor.

As we have previously noted, it is difficult to overstate the importance of the CCB’s chairperson. The chairperson will have an outsized influence on the direction of New York’s cannabis industry. With so much leeway in issuing the industry’s rules and regulations, the chairperson has the ability to actually prioritize social and economic equity applicants, decrease the early head start that could be held by the existing ROs, and establish a sustainable licensing process. The chairperson is also, technically, the individual who makes the preliminary determination as to whether a given license should be issued.

More at  https://harrisbricken.com/cannalawblog/andrew-cuomo-is-out-kathy-hochul-is-in-and-hopefully-so-is-new-yorks-cannabis-control-board/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Morning%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–AED8dlCsNCOL81T5exX1e1CkaZqwB4yu-nQxWaKihBMuC8HEOdHR20JDWiJ3D_f99XLQyZm6jcKfpcowS35RW1oGc0g&_hsmi=148559097&utm_content=148543007&utm_source=hs_email&hsCtaTracking=7b58c800-c371-4f5f-97e0-c3bf356464ea%7Cafa8a7b3-826a-4ba6-a9ed-d64cfdf42611

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