BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is calling for an operational overhaul of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
This directive comes following a 30-day assessment conducted under the Commissioner of the Officer of General Services Jeanette Moy.
The assessment found structural limitations that mad it difficult for the OCM to efficiently establish the state's cannabis marketplace.
The assessment also made recommendations to end the backlog of license applications and improve communications with those applying and those who already have licenses.
“We promised to build the strongest, most equitable legal cannabis market in the nation, and we’re announcing long-needed steps to make New York’s cannabis program work as promised,” Governor Hochul said. “I would like to thank Commissioner Jeanette Moy and her team for their hard work and thoughtful assessment, and I look forward to working with OCM to implement the report's recommendations and transform New York’s cannabis industry.”
"The multi-agency task force created to assess the Office of Cannabis Management has identified several steps the agency can take to unclog the bottleneck of applications by improving communication with applicants and streamlining the application process. The proposals outlined in the task force’s report will improve transparency and open lines of communication in the application process while boosting the state’s efforts to meet Governor Hochul’s commitment to equity in New York’s cannabis market," said Moy.
Among the new recommendations:
- Governor Hochul announced a series of immediate actions to begin the overhaul of OCM, address illegal cannabis enforcement and put New York’s cannabis industry on the path to success. The actions include:
- Launching an enforcement task force to close illegal cannabis retail stores.
- Fixing the internal licensing process and clearing the backlog for retail establishments who were required to apply with site control.
- Committing to putting in place an SLA (service-level agreement) to allow for completion of retail license applications within 90 days for future application windows.
- Creating new communications tools, including regulatory bulletins and public dashboards to improve customer service.
- Launching OCM cannabis map to improve the transparency surrounding licensed retail locations in summer 2024.
- Adding staff to licensing, compliance and enforcement teams.
- Strengthening agency foundations and management including hiring senior positions for customer service, internal controls and audit and operations.
- Creating a 5-year strategic plan for the Office.
The state will also establish a new program to provide financial support for CAURD licensees who have their own retail locations. The one-time commitment of funding will come with no expectation of repayment if used for eligible purposes.
For more information: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-directs-operational-overhaul-office-cannabis-management.
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