Bill
HD 4186
Creates a centralized six-year agent registration card for on-site cannabis workers, enabling verified, uniform credentialing across multiple establishments.
Status: Senate concurred; part of the 194th General Court (2025-2026)
Bill Information
- Introduced: February 27, 2025
- Filed: January 17, 2025
- Presented by: Representative Manny Cruz (Salem)
- Focus: Create efficiencies in the cannabis employment process by establishing a centralized agent registration system for on-site cannabis-related work.
Purpose and intent
- The bill aims to streamline and professionalize the on-site workforce for marijuana establishments and laboratories by introducing a uniform “agent registration card.” This card would certify that an individual is authorized to provide on-site services related to cultivation, harvesting, preparation, packaging, storage, testing, dispensing, or transportation of cannabis, across multiple establishments or laboratories.
Key provisions
1) New definition
- Agent registration card: A state-issued identification card (issued by the Cannabis Control Commission) that authorizes an individual who is an employee or agent of a marijuana establishment or laboratory to perform services for cannabis businesses. The card is not issued to licensees themselves.
2) Mandatory agent registration (Chapter 94G, Section 12, new subsection (i))
- Requirement: Any employee, agent, volunteer, or other person required by regulations under section 4 must register with the Cannabis Control Commission before providing on-site cannabis-related services.
- Scope: Applies to services in cultivation, harvesting, preparation, packaging, storage, testing, dispensing, or transportation of cannabis at a marijuana establishment or laboratory.
- Card issuance: The Commission shall issue a single agent registration card to an individual, enabling service at one or more establishments or laboratories.
- Card validity: The agent registration card is valid for six years from the date of issuance.
- Attestation: Agents must sign and submit a self-attestation form every two years to verify continued compliance with registration requirements.
- Verification: Licensees must verify the validity of agent registration cards.
3) Fees
- A fee shall not be required for agent registration card requests made by social equity program participants or verified employees of social equity businesses.
4) Regulatory timeline
- The Commission must promulgate or amend regulations to implement these provisions not later than 365 days from the act’s effective date.
Affected parties
- Individuals: Current or prospective employees, agents, volunteers, or other persons performing on-site cannabis-related services.
- Employers: Marijuana establishments and laboratories (licensees) that must verify agent registrations.
- Social equity participants: Eligible individuals and employees of social equity businesses receive fee waivers for agent registration card requests.
Procedural and timeline notes
- The bill directs the Cannabis Control Commission to implement regulations within one year of enactment.
- Once in effect, the approach creates a centralized, long-validity credential (six years) with periodic attestation.
- The process emphasizes verification by licensees to ensure ongoing validity of agents.
Potential impact
- Benefits: Streamlined credentialing, consistent on-site staffing standards, reduced administrative redundancy, potential expeditious hiring for cannabis operations, and targeted fee relief for social equity participants.
- Considerations: Compliance burden on individuals and employers to manage six-year cards with biannual attestations; reliance on regulatory rulemaking to define implementation details and enforcement processes.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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