California Legislative Update - June 2015
By Casey O’Neill
J
une 5 was the deadline to pass
bills out of their house of origin.
This essentially marks the
halfway point of the legislative process.
Many bills did not clear the hurdle, but
three cannabis bills did.
We supported all three. Here's why:
In December of 2014 we produced a
document outlining our priorities for
the year. The list was pretty simple and
I bet many of you have heard our
priorities by now:
* Implement a multi-agency regulatory
program and designate the California
Department of Food and Agriculture
the lead agency for regulating
cannabis farms
* Establish a system of tiered business
licensing that ensures fair market
access for the thousands of existing
small and cottage farms and
businesses
* Develop a system of appellation
controls to protect the value-added
6
cannabis flowers and products that
make California a global leader
* Strengthen environmental and
watershed protections and ensure that
there is a distinction between
unregulated and criminal agriculture
Amazingly, every one of our priorities is
included in the legislation!
* SB 643 (Mcguire) passed out of the
State Senate on June 4, by a vote of 2613. This legislation will establish
appellations of origin for "marijuana"
grown in California.
* AB 266 (Bonta) passed out of the
Assembly on June 4 by a vote of 62 - 8.
This legislation includes the
Department of Food and Agriculture
and establishes tiered-business licenses.
* AB 243 (Wood) passed out of the
Assembly on June 3 by a vote of 60-15.
This legislation builds on a successful
watershed protection pilot program
established last year by the Water
Board and the Department of Fish and
Wildlife.