California Legislature Passes Bill Allowing Marijuana Businesses to Hold Multiple Licenses, Sending it to Governor Newsom

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Legislation in California to simplify marijuana business operations by allowing multiple activities under a single license, has been approved by the state’s legislature with overwhelming support.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

California Senate Bill 1064, introduced by Senator John Laird (D) in April, has passed both the full Assembly (73 to 0) and Senate (37 to 1). Yesterday, the measure was presented to Governor Gavin Newsom, giving him 12 days to decide whether to sign it into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it.

SB 1064 introduces a new “combined activities license,” which would allow two or more cannabis-related business activities to operate under a single license at the same premises, with the exception of laboratory testing. Under current law, cannabis operators are required to apply for separate licenses for each activity they wish to conduct, such as retail sale, cultivation, and distribution. This bill seeks to simplify the licensing process by allowing certain activities to be combined, reducing the administrative burden on businesses.

Additionally, the bill would remove the requirement for the Department of Cannabis Control to consider “excessive concentration” of cannabis businesses in a given area when determining whether to grant or renew a license. This is expected to open up more opportunities for businesses in areas where cannabis-related licenses may have been limited due to existing concentration restrictions.

The bill also includes provisions to ease the application process for owners who have previously submitted fingerprint images and other information to the Department of Justice. If an owner has already provided this information in a previous license application, they will not be required to resubmit it for future applications.

If signed into law by Governor Newsom, SB 1064 is expected to streamline the regulatory process for cannabis businesses in California, making it easier for them to operate multiple activities under one license while reducing redundancies in the application process. The bill reflects ongoing efforts to refine California’s cannabis regulatory framework as the industry continues to grow.

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