NOW YOU KNOW | 12/12/2017 | Cannabis Control Commission Policy DEBATE & VOTES

REFERENCE OR WATCH THE LIVESTREAM VIDEO:

PART 1 https://www.facebook.com/MassRecCouncil/videos/1512687608768418/

PART 2

https://www.facebook.com/MassRecCouncil/videos/1512788652091647/

PART 3

https://www.facebook.com/MassRecCouncil/videos/1512880068749172/

SUMMARY AGENDA

** Indicates vote changes/different from the slides

Cannabis Control Commission | Public Meeting | 12/11/2017 |

The commission took votes. One Commissioner takes the the lead of one topic. Executive Director, Shawn Collins, facilitates and takes track of votes.

PRESENTATION CAN BE FOUND HERE (eventually) > HERE

A. Morning announcements Steven Hoffman – 1:00 PART 1

B. Research Facilities License Kay Doyle – 8:00 PART 1

C. Priority Econ Empowerment and Social Equity Review (DISCUSSION) Shaleen Title – 14:16 PART 1

E. VOTES of the Above Shaleen Title – 1:00 PART 2

F. Background Checks Britte McBride – 24:00 PART 3

G. Action on Applications Britte McBride – 1:29 PART 3

J. 2 other slides – Kay Doyle 1:45 Part 3

K. Next Meeting Date

WED Dec 12, 2017 11:00am

A. Morning announcements

– Run through Agenda: modifications ( addition of research license)

– Official CCC website should be done by the end of the month

– CCC Twitter: @MA_Cannabis

B. Research Facilities License Kay Doyle – 8:00

Approved Recommendations:

Authorize the licensure of research facilities which may

1) cultivate, purchase or otherwise acquire Marijuana for the purpose of conducting research regarding marijuana and marijuana products

2) Any research involving humans must be approved by an institutional Review Board

3) A marijuana research facility may not sell marijuana cultivated under its research license, but may also hold a marijuana retail license.

4)All research regarding marijuana must be conducted by individuals over the age of 21 years

Applications will not be ready for April 11:00

C. Priority Econ Empowerment Review Shaleen Title – 14:16 PART 1 – PART 2

What’s already in the law: Legislative Mandates

Recommendations discussion in the next slides

E. Decisions of the Above Shaleen Title – 1:00 PART 2

Approved Recommendations:

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

Authorize the licensure of research facilities which may

1) Use “areas of disproportionate impact, as defined by the Commission ” for drafting purposes

2) At January 9 CNB meeting, discuss and vote on analysis for identifying areas of disproportionate impact based on data available at that time.

Further decisions to be made after January 2 – 7:00

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

Grant priority review to applicants who demonstrate two of the following:

1) Majority of ownership belongs to people who have lived in areas of disproportionate impact (as defined by the CNB) for 5 of the last 10 years.

2) C-Level executive has economic empowerment experience

3)At least 51% of current employees sub-contractors reside in areas of disproportionate impact and will increate to 75% by first date of business

4)At least 51% of employees or sub-contractors have drug related CORI

5)Owners can demonstrate additional significant, articulable past experience in or business practice that promotes economic empowerment in areas of disproportionate impact.

6)After this preliminary determination, same requirements as other applicants.

SLIDE

– 22:43

Approved Recommendations:

Grant priority review to applicants who demonstrate

1) Majority of ownership belongs to people who have lived in areas of disproportionate impact (to be defined by the Commission) for 5 of the last 10 years. OR

2) Individual Impact: They have lived in MA for the last 12 months and have a MA drug related conviction

3) Family Impact: They have lived in MA for the last 12 months. They have a parent or spouse with a prior conviction.

SLIDE

– 28:43

Approved Recommendations:

In addition to fee waivers, the Cannabis Control Commission should authorize it’s intent to set aside funds to provide technical assistance on the following topics:

– Management, recruitment, and employee trainings

– Accounting and sales forcasting

– Tax prediction and compliance; legal compliance

– Business plan creation and operational development; and

– Marijuana industry best practices

– Fundraising

SLIDE

– 43:00

Approved Recommendations:

The CNB should require all applicants to submit and adhere to a diversity plan to promote racial and gender equity and include veterans and people with disabilities, as a general suitability requirement.

The CNB should partner with organizations throughout the Commonwealth to create outreach programs, technical assistance programs, workforce development programs offering skills-based training programs and establishing equitable employment and ownership opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, and low-income individuals.

To ensure robust community outreach and stakeholder engagement , the CNB should create educational materials in multiple languages and disseminate them on its website and in-person trainings throughout the commonwealth. The CNB should create a resource to connect individuals with existing resources to obtain diversity certification.

SLIDE

– 55:43

Approved Recommendations:

** Relative to facilitating contributions to social equity programs, the commission should require all applicants to submit and adhere to plan for how the business can positively impact such communities as a general suitability requirement.

SLIDE

– 58:43 PART 2

Approved Recommendations:

1) Alternate priority review to ensure an equitable distribution. Review applications for priority review until one is approved; then switch to reviewing econ empowerment applications for priority review until one is approved, and so on, such that priority is granted on an alternating basis. If the CNB completes processing applications for priority review of one type. it should then continue processing the remaining applications of the other type in the order which they were received.

PART 13:00

NOT APPROVED: DEFERRED

2) In cities or towns where the number of marijuana establishments licenses have been limited, and both qualified general and social equity applicants have applied, the CNB should grant one state license to a qualified social equity applicant for every state license granted to a qualified general applicant.

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

To measure the Commission’s progress towards mandate, appoint a 9-person Citizen Review Committee comprised of people from impacted communities before January 31, 2018 to make recommendations recommendations regarding the equity program and the tax revenue allocated for community reinvestment under state law.

F. Background Checks Britte McBride – 24:00 PART 3

What’s already in the law: Legislative Mandates

RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION IN THE NEXT SLIDES

Approved Recommendations:

1. Mandatory disqualification for:

– open marijuana-business violation in MA or other jurisdictions;

– Failure to register as a sex offender in MA or other jurisdictions

– Felony conviction in MA or other jurisdictions, per statue;

– Conviction or CWOF for distribution of a controlled substance to a minor.

2. Presumptive rebuttle

– Non-felony weapons violations, including firearms, involving narcotics

– open unresolved criminal warrants

-Firearm crimes

-Multiple criminal complaints during the five (5) years immediately proceeding the application for licensure tending to show a pattern of harmful behavior and bad judgement.

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

1. The Suitability Review Committee shall meet as needed to (1) review information about non-disqualifying offenses or incidents received as part of the background check during the application process; and (2) to consider appeals of determinations of unsuitability based on claims of erroneous information received as part of the background check during the application process.

3 members; Commission staff, not Commissioners, appointed by the executive director.

All reviews shall be based on written information and evidence. The Commission shall determine as part of its deliberation on the license application submitted by an applicant, whether to adopt the suitability review Committee’s recommendation and shall have discretion to do so.

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

2. Adopt the RMD model of licensees conducting background checks.

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

Retail Suitability: Approved as written

1:16

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

Product Manufacturer Approved as written

SLIDE

1:25 PART 3

Approved Recommendations:

Cultivator or Distributor Approved as written

SLIDE

1:29 PART 3

Approved Recommendations:

Delivery Operator Agent Approved as written

G. Action on Applications Britte McBride – 1:29 PART 3

Approved as written

SLIDE

Approved Recommendations:

Commission shall grant or deny a provisional license not later than 90 days following notification to the applicant that all packets complete.

Within that timeframe, municipality will be asked to verify that the M.E. complies with all local laws, and that it is not within 500 foot buffer zone of schools or reduced zone as adopted by bylaw ordinance. Response requested within 60 days, no response = presumed compliance