Lawmakers heard a litany of complaints about the business and regulatory environments for marijuana companies Wednesday as a key committee mulls whether and how it should intervene legislatively to address chronic problem spots in the industry and with the Cannabis Control Commission.
People involved in the legal marijuana world have been frustrated with the slow pace of regulatory changes from the CCC and a series of internal conflicts at the agency attracted even greater scrutiny from the public and Beacon Hill. Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro pleaded with lawmakers in June to intervene by appointing a receiver to manage day-to-day CCC operations at the “rudderless agency” and then restructure it by amending the “unclear and self-contradictory” enabling statute that legislators wrote in 2017.
Lawmakers called the situation at the CCC a “trainwreck” during a July hearing with Shapiro, but stopped short of embracing a response plan. When he punted the issues until this fall, House chair Rep. Daniel Donahue said in late July that the Committee on Cannabis Policy thinks receivership is not the way to go, but “recognizes the need for clarity in structure and accountability at the Cannabis Control Commission” and “foresees a legislative path forward addressing the sources of concerns about the CCC’s administrative function.”
Wednesday’s hearing was the first in a series planned for this fall, with lawmakers’ eyes turning towards legislation they could propose when the new session starts in January. Donahue, of Worcester, and Senate chair Sen. Adam Gomez, of Springfield, indicated Wednesday they’re most focused on how the CCC is structured, the nitty-gritty of the rules for commission operations, and industry workers’ rights. But another member of the panel questioned just how much legislative intervention is even required.
“I think the Legislature was very clear on the laws that we passed and the things that we did. I think this comes down to the fact that the CCC is just not understanding what their job is,” Rep. Michael Soter of Bellingham said. “Every single testimony I hear is that they have all the tools they need. They just don’t have the — I don’t know if it’s the ability, I don’t know if it’s the counsel, the general counsel not giving them the right advice on what their job is, or it’s just too much chaos. I haven’t figured it out.”
Read more at https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/new-laws-internal-fixes-weighed-for-cannabis-agency/
