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Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a virtual hearing on nine proposed bills focused on reforming the approval process of host community agreements (“HCAs”) between municipalities and marijuana businesses licensed to operate in those cities and towns. Massachusetts lawmakers listened to testimony from advocates, former regulators, attorneys, cannabis business leaders, entrepreneurs and others who argued that the existing local approval process gives municipalities undue leverage in HCA negotiations with marijuana establishments.
As a prerequisite to obtaining state cannabis licensure in Massachusetts, marijuana establishments are required to have an HCA in place with the appropriate municipality. HCAs typically include significant fees imposed by cities and towns, which are ostensibly required to offset the impact by the operation of the cannabis business on the
BOSTON Advocates, lawmakers and former regulators urged a legislative committee on Tuesday to provide more oversight of required contracts between municipalities and marijuana businesses, arguing that the system continues to be exploited by some cities and towns, which creates a barrier for small and minority owned businesses to get started in the industry.
The issue of host community agreements has been one fraught with tension as people in the industry have argued for years that negotiations are often one-sided, with the municipalities controlling all the leverage.
The result, according to testimony given to the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, are agreements that often violate the limits put on how much cities and towns can charge marijuana businesses for traffic, public safety and other impacts they have on a community.
By Matt Murphy, State House News Service |
4 hours ago
A security guard sits in front of Stem, 124 Washington St., Haverhill. (WHAV News file photograph.)
Advocates, lawmakers and former regulators urged a legislative committee on Tuesday to provide more oversight of required contracts between municipalities and marijuana businesses, arguing that the system continues to be exploited by some cities and towns, which creates a barrier for small and minority owned businesses to get started in the industry.
A suit against the City of Haverhill, filed by downtown marijuana retailer Stem and its president, Caroline Pineau, played prominently before the Committee.
The issue of host community agreements has been one fraught with tension as people in the industry have argued for years that negotiations are often “one-sided,” with communities controlling all the leverage.
Advocates, lawmakers and former regulators urged a legislative committee on Tuesday to provide more oversight of required contracts between municipalities and marijuana businesses, arguing that the system continues to be exploited by some cities and towns, which creates a barrier for small and minority owned businesses to get started in the industry.
The issue of host community agreements has been one fraught with tension as people in the industry have argued for years that negotiations are often one-sided, with the municipalities controlling all the leverage.
The result, according to testimony given to the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, are agreements that often violate the limits put on how much cities and towns can charge marijuana businesses for traffic, public safety and other impacts they have on a community.
Cannabis community host agreements being exploited by some Massachusetts cities and towns, advocates say
Updated May 12, 2021;
By Matt Murphy | State House News Service
Advocates, lawmakers and former regulators urged a legislative committee on Tuesday to provide more oversight of required contracts between municipalities and marijuana businesses, arguing that the system continues to be exploited by some cities and towns, which creates a barrier for small and minority owned businesses to get started in the industry.
The issue of host community agreements has been one fraught with tension as people in the industry have argued for years that negotiations are often “one-sided,” with the municipalities controlling all the leverage.