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Bill

A 6967

Prohibits cannabis storefronts from being located within a certain distance from any town, city or village which has opted out of permitting the sale of cannabis

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Angelino and 1 co-sponsor

Prohibits cannabis storefronts within a defined distance of opt-out towns, shielding those communities and guiding where retailers may locate.

REFERRED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Bill Summary · A 6967

Summary of Assembly Bill A-6967

Overview

Bill A-6967 prohibits cannabis storefronts from locating within a defined distance of any town, city, or village that has opted out of permitting the sale of cannabis. The measure is currently in the Economic Development committee.

Purpose and Intent

  • To create buffer zones around municipalities that have opted out of cannabis sales, ensuring storefronts are not situated in proximity to those communities.
  • The bill appears aimed at balancing access to cannabis storefronts with local control choices, by setting location constraints relative to opt-out jurisdictions.

Key Provisions (as described)

  • Prohibition on locating cannabis storefronts within a “certain distance” of any town, city, or village that has opted out of permitting cannabis sales.
  • The distance metric is unspecified in the provided text and would be defined in the bill’s full language.
  • Applies to storefronts operating under the state’s cannabis program (specific regulatory definitions would be in the bill text).

Who Would Be Affected

  • Cannabis retailers/license holders seeking to open storefronts within the state.
  • Municipalities that have opted out of cannabis sales, which would effectively be shielded by the distance buffer from nearby storefronts.
  • Potentially, neighboring municipalities and developers evaluating site locations for cannabis retail.

Legislative Status and Process

  • Introduced: March 18, 2025.
  • Current Status: Referred to the Economic Development committee.
  • Legislative Actions: The provided record shows two identical entries on March 18, 2025, both listing a referral to Economic Development.
  • Related/Companion Bill: Senate companion S 5637 (listed as related; indicated twice in the record).

Related Considerations

  • The bill interacts with local option decisions, potentially limiting storefront placement near opt-out communities.
  • If enacted, the exact distance would shape practical impacts on site selection, market access, and distribution patterns.
  • Surfaces a cross-chamber (Assembly/Senate) dynamic, given the companion Senate bill.

Potential Impacts and Questions

  • How long before the distance requirement could be reviewed or adjusted (e.g., by amendment or regulatory rulemaking)?
  • What constitutes “opted out” status – does it include towns that temporarily ban or permit with sunset clauses?
  • Could the buffer create unintended geographic disparities in access to cannabis storefronts?
  • How will enforcement be handled and what mechanisms exist to resolve disputes about location compliance?

Next Steps / Watch

  • Monitor for the bill’s text to confirm the exact distance metric and definitions (e.g., urban vs. rural contexts, measurement method).
  • Track committee hearings in Economic Development for testimony, amendments, and potential passage.
  • Observe the Senate companion S 5637 for parallel movement and any cross-chamber consensus.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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