Published March 22, 2019
From the Desk of Cat Packer
As the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation, I want to thank you for your interest in, and engagement with, the City’s cannabis related policies and programs and our administration of the Rules and Regulations adopted by the City Council for licensed commercial cannabis businesses within the City of Los Angeles.
Our department has a full schedule in the coming year, including continuing Priority Processing, beginning Annual Licensing for existing and new businesses, ensuring that City regulations are current with any state and federal legislative changes and revisions, social equity and licensing workshops, and launching a new and improved website for easier access to information related to commercial cannabis laws, policies and related programs.
I look forward to continuing to expand resources and services related to our work and further encourage you to stay apprised of DCR’s operations by signing up for our email alerts and monitoring Cannabis Regulation Commission meetings.
Stay tuned for an updated DCR website with new and improved features. Late next week, you’ll be able to check out our updated layout which includes some of the following new features:
- Easier navigation of information
- Updated complaint portal
- Integrated search field
- Google Translate availability
- Updated licensing maps
- Easy to understand licensing information
Visit our new site at cannabis.lacity.org.
The Department of Cannabis Regulations (DCR) will soon publish a RFQ to identify potential vendors to provide technical assistance in support of the City’s Social Equity Program. This RFQ is a critical step forward that will allow DCR to begin the process of developing and providing qualified Social Equity Program applicants Business, Licensing, and Compliance Assistance. Only vendors selected as a part of this RFQ will be authorized to provide the formal technical assistance as required by LAMC Sec. 104.20.
DCR will be seeking proposals from one or more qualified contractors/vendors to develop and administer Business, Licensing and Compliance Assistance, and related services to support applicants and licensees eligible for the City’s Social Equity Program as established under LAMC 104.20.
All proposers seeking to enter into agreements with the City are required to comply with the City, State and Federal requirements relating to affirmative action, living wage, equal benefits, service contractor worker retention, prevailing wage, subcontractor outreach, and the certification for minority, women and disadvantaged, small, local business enterprise (MBE/WBE/DBE/SLBE).
DCR will provide notice once the Social Equity Program RFQ becomes available on the Los Angeles Business Assistance Virtual Network (LABAVN). All proposers must register a LABAVN account to apply for the RFQ.
There will be a special meeting of the Cannabis Regulation Commission on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 2 p.m. in the John Ferraro Council Chamber, Room 340, inside City Hall at 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
All meetings are open to the public. Agendas are available on the Cannabis Regulation Commission web page.
Click here to subscribe to the Mailing List for Cannabis Regulation Commission Agendas.
The Commission, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to the disabled to ensure equal access to its meetings. To ensure availability, such request should be made 72 hours in advance by contacting the Department of Cannabis Regulation at (213) 978-0738 during business hours.
DCR has officially begun the annual licensing process for Phase 1 applicants with Temporary Approval. All Phase 1 Existing Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (EMMDs) with temporary approval are eligible to apply. Applicants are required to visit our website and navigate to the Accela Application Portal.
DCR joined with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to participate in this year’s ACCESS D.C. annual event March 11 through 13. ACCESS D.C. is the region’s largest annual advocacy trip that connects business and civic leaders with federal lawmakers. The executive team from
DCR met with key Congressional leaders and discussed federal steps that can be taken on several issues including:
- Social Justice and the City’s Social Equity Program
- Banking Access and Tax Reform
- Reintroduction of the STATES Act and the Marijuana Justice Act
- National cannabis policy reform efforts
DCR looks forward to continuing these conversations and giving these issues and the many concerns of the Los Angeles cannabis industry, and our local community, the federal attention and action they deserve.
We continue to monitor a wide array of state cannabis legislation covering a number of topics from allowing donations of medical cannabis to qualified patients to increasing research into drugged driving. DCR has particular interest in State Senate Bill 658, as our staff helped develop it. This bill will guarantee local regulators access to the Track and Trace program and establish a statewide emblem program for Retail Businesses.
Social Equity Program Manager
DCR is now accepting applications for a Social Equity Program Manager. The selected individual will work closely with the Executive Director, both Assistant Executive Directors, and Department Staff to implement the City’s Social Equity Program. The Program’s purpose is to enable those adversely affected by the war on drugs to have equitable access to the business ownership and employment opportunities within the newly legitimized local cannabis industry. Click here to see the complete job description and application instructions. This emergency appointment is an open, exempt position.
In order to be considered, resumes must include: A description of your relevant experience; description of your role in your current and former organization(s); at least one major professional accomplishment in which you played a key role; and any other relevant experiences or unique characteristics which could further qualify you for this position.
Please include a completed City Application with your submission. Upon submission of the application documents, applicants may be asked to complete a supplemental questionnaire. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to the next phase of the selection process, which may include a written exercise and an interview. This position is open until a sufficient number of applications have been received. Please contact City Clerk Personnel @ (213) 978-1100 for any inquiries and please submit your application/resume to: clerk.adminservice.personnel@lacity.org.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion this week that called for taking advantage of innovative technology to accelerate the resentencing of minor cannabis convictions countywide.
Proposition 64, approved by voters in November 2016, allowed certain cannabis convictions to be reclassified and resentenced. Los Angeles County’s Office of Cannabis Management, in consultation with the District Attorney and Public Defender, estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 people – if not more – are eligible for reclassification or resentencing. As of early 2018, however, fewer than 1,000 of those eligible for relief in the County have filed a petition.
DCR applauds these efforts of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Hilda L. Solis, authors of the motion. Click here for more information and to see the motion.
The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) announced that the Cannabis Advisory Committee (CAC) will hold its first meeting of the year on Wednesday, March 27 in Sacramento. A live webcast will also be available. Click here for the Meeting Notice and Agenda.
The CAC advises the Bureau and the other licensing authorities – the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Public Health – on the development of regulations that help protect public health and safety and reduce the illegal market for cannabis.
-To lodge a complaint about any cannabis activity - licensed or unlicensed - in the City of Los Angeles, please use DCR’s complaint portal, which also can be found at cannabis.lacity.org.
-To get the latest information from the Department of Cannabis Regulation, go to the homepage, then fill out the “Sign Up for Email Alerts” form at the bottom.