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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-05-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - STATE LEGISLATION AB 1356 (2)Agenda Item: 4 DATE: May 28, 2019 SUBJECT: STATE LEGISLATION: ASSEMBLY BILL 1356 DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office PRESENTER: Masis Hagobian RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt the City Council Legislative Committee recommendation to oppose Assembly Bill 1356 (Ting) and transmit position statements to Assembly Member Ting, Santa Clarita's state legislative delegation, appropriate legislative committees, Governor Newsom, and the League of California Cities. BACKGROUND The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016 (AVMA), an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult -use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. Current state regulations on adult -use cannabis activities, including retail commercial cannabis activities, does not supersede or limit the authority of a local jurisdiction to adopt and enforce local ordinances to regulate or prohibit commercial cannabis businesses within that local jurisdiction. AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions with a two-thirds vote of both houses to further its purposes and intent. Proposition 64 (2016) needed a simple majority of over 50 percent to be approved and received 7,979,041 votes in favor of the measure, or 57.1 percent of total votes recorded statewide on the measure. According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office, the measure received approximately 52.5 percent of total votes recorded in the City of Santa Clarita, in favor of the measure. The City of Santa Clarita (City), pursuant to subdivision 17.51.005 of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code, prohibits any commercial cannabis activity, including commercial cannabis facilities, in all zones in the City. Page 1 Assembly Bill 1356 requires a local jurisdiction in which more than 50 percent of the electorate voted in favor of Proposition 64 (2016) to issue a minimum number of local licenses that authorize adult -use cannabis commercial activity. The bill sets the minimum number of local licenses for retail cannabis commercial activity that a local jurisdiction is required to issue at 25 percent of the number of on -sale general license types for alcoholic beverage sales that are currently active in the jurisdiction. These on -sale general license types include restaurants, bars, breweries, clubs, and hotels that sell alcoholic beverages. However, if the number of local licenses for retail commercial cannabis would result in a ratio greater than one local license for retail cannabis commercial activity for every 10,000 residents of the local jurisdiction, the minimum number of local licenses that the local jurisdiction is required to issue shall be determined by dividing the number of residents in the local jurisdiction by 10,000. Based on the minimum requirement in this bill, the City would be required to issue a minimum of 23 retail commercial cannabis licenses. With that being said, this bill also includes a clause that allows a local jurisdiction the opportunity to establish a lower amount of local licenses for retail cannabis commercial activity through a vote of the local jurisdiction's electorate. The bill requires the local jurisdiction to create a local ordinance that clearly specifies the level of participation in the retail commercial cannabis market the local jurisdiction will allow, and then submit that ordinance to the electorate of that local jurisdiction at the next regularly scheduled local election. If the ordinance is approved by more than 50 percent of the electorate of that local jurisdiction voting on the issue, then the new ordinance shall become effective in that local jurisdiction. In order to be enacted, AB 1356 requires a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature. Assembly Bill 1356 fundamentally erodes the local regulatory authority of cities and counties, which is explicitly provided for in Proposition 64 (2016). In seeking to remove a local government's ability to either approve retail cannabis shops at a different concentration level or prohibit them within its jurisdiction, this bill completely subverts the intent of the voters who approved Proposition 64 (2016). Additionally, the City of Santa Clarita 2019 Legislative Platform includes a component consistent with the recommendation to oppose this bill. Component 21 under the "State" section of the Legislative Platform advises that the City Council, "Oppose legislation that would interfere with, limit or eliminate the decision-making authority of municipalities in the area of local land use." Assembly Bill 1356 was introduced on February 22, 2019, and passed the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions (12-7-1) on April 23, 2019. The bill passed the Assembly Committee on Appropriations (10-7-1) on May 16, 2019, and ordered to second reading. The City Council Legislative Committee met on May 6, 2019, and recommends that the City Council adopt an "oppose" position on Assembly 1356. Page 2 ALTERNATIVE ACTION Adopt a "neutral" position on Assembly Bill 1356 2. Adopt a "support" position on Assembly Bill 1356 3. Take no action on Assembly Bill 1356 4. Refer Assembly Bill 1356 back to the Legislative Committee 5. Other action, as determined by the City Council FISCAL IMPACT The resources required to implement the recommended action are contained within the City of Santa Clarita's adopted Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget. ATTACHMENTS Assembly Bill 1356 Bill Text Page 3 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2019 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 4, 2019 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE -2019-20 REGULAR SESSION ASSEMBLY BILL No. 1356 Introduced by Assembly Member Ting February 22, 2019 An act to amend Section 26200 of, and to add Section 26200.1 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to cannabis. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1356, as amended, Ting. Cannabis: local jurisdictions: retail commercial cannabis activity. The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016 (AVMA), an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult -use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. The Medicinal and Adult -Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult -use cannabis activities, including retail commercial cannabis activity. MAUCRSA gives the Bureau of Cannabis Control in the Department of Consumer Affairs the power, duty, purpose, responsibility, and jurisdiction to regulate commercial cannabis activity in the state as provided by the act. MAUCRSA does not supersede or limit the authority of a local jurisdiction to adopt and enforce local ordinances to regulate commercial cannabis businesses within that local jurisdiction. 97 AB 1356 — — This bill, if more than 50% of the electorate of a local jurisdiction voted in favor of AVMA, would require a local jurisdiction to issue a minimum number of local licenses authorizing adttlt ttse medieittal specified retail cannabis commercial activity within that jurisdiction that would be permitted by a retailer license issued under MAUCRSA. The bill would require the minimum number of those local licenses required to be issued in that jurisdiction to be 25% of the number of currently active on -sale general licenses for alcoholic beverage sales in that jurisdiction, as specified, unless the minimum number would result in a ratio greater than one local license for retail cannabis commercial activity for every 10,000 residents of the local jurisdiction, in which case the bill would require theme minimum number to be determined by dividing the number of residents in the local jurisdiction by 10,000 and rounding down to the nearest whole number. The bill would authorize a local jurisdiction to impose a fee on licensees to cover the regulatory costs of issuing those local licenses. The bill would exempt from these provisions a local jurisdiction that, on or before January 1, 2017, and until January 1, 2020, submitted to the electorate of the local jurisdiction a specified local ordinance or resolution relating to retail cannabis commercial activity that received a specified vote of the electorate. This bill would allow any local jurisdiction subject to the requirements of this bill that wants to establish a lower amount of these local licenses to submit an ordinance or other law, that clearly specifies the level of participation in the retail commercial cannabis market it would allow, to the electorate of that local jurisdiction at the next regularly scheduled local election following the operative date of this bill. The bill would provide that the local ordinance or other local law becomes effective if approved by more than 50% of its electorate. The bill would require the local jurisdiction to issue those licenses as otherwise required by this bill within a specified period of time if a local jurisdiction subject to the requirements of this bill does not submit a local ordinance or other local law regarding the lower amount of licenses to the electorate, or that local ordinance or other local law fails to receive more than 50% of the approval of the electorate voting on the issue. The bill would provide that these provisions are prohibited from being construed to require a local jurisdiction to authorize adult -use retail cannabis commercial activity. By imposing additional requirements on local jurisdictions the bill would impose a state -mandated local program. 97 — 3 — AB 1356 The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions with a Y, vote of both houses to further its purposes and intent. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of AVMA. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State -mandated local program: yes. The people of the State of California do enact as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 26200 of the Business and Professions 2 Code is amended to read: 3 26200. (a) (1) This division shall not be interpreted to 4 supersede or limit the authority of a local jurisdiction to adopt and 5 enforce local ordinances to regulate businesses licensed under this 6 division, including, but not limited to, local zoning and land use 7 requirements, business license requirements, and requirements 8 related to reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, or to completely 9 prohibit the establishment or operation of one or more types of 10 businesses licensed under this division within the local jurisdiction, 11 except as provided in Section 26200.1. 12 (2) This division shall not be interpreted to supersede or limit 13 existing local authority for law enforcement activity, enforcement 14 of local zoning requirements or local ordinances, or enforcement 15 of local license, permit, or other authorization requirements. 16 (b) This division shall not be interpreted to require a licensing 17 authority to undertake local law enforcement responsibilities, 18 enforce local zoning requirements, or enforce local licensing, 19 permitting, or other authorization requirements. 20 (c) A local jurisdiction shall notify the bureau upon revocation 21 of any local license, permit, or authorization for a licensee to 22 engage in commercial cannabis activity within the local 23 jurisdiction. Within 10 days of notification, the bureau shall inform 24 the relevant licensing authorities. Within 60 days of being so 25 informed by the bureau, the relevant licensing authorities shall 26 begin the process to determine whether a license issued to the 97 AB 1356 1 licensee should be suspended or revoked pursuant to Chapter 3 2 (commencing with Section 26030). 3 (d) For facilities issued a state license that are located within 4 the incorporated area of a city, the city shall have full power and 5 authority to enforce this division and the regulations promulgated 6 by the bureau or any licensing authority, if delegated by the state. 7 Notwithstanding Sections 101375, 101400, and 101405 of the 8 Health and Safety Code or any contract entered into pursuant 9 thereto, or any other law, the city shall assume complete 10 responsibility for any regulatory function pursuant to this division 11 within the city limits that would otherwise be performed by the 12 county or any county officer or employee, including a county 13 health officer, without liability, cost, or expense to the county. 14 (e) (1) This division does not prohibit the issuance of a state 15 temporary event license to a licensee authorizing onsite cannabis 16 sales to, and consumption by, persons 21 years of age or older at 17 a county fair event, district agricultural association event, or at 18 another venue expressly approved by a local jurisdiction for the 19 purpose of holding temporary events of this nature, provided that 20 the activities, at a minimum, comply with all the following: 21 (A) The requirements of paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of 22 subdivision (g). 23 (B) All participants who are engaged in the onsite retail sale of 24 cannabis or cannabis products at the event are licensed under this 25 division to engage in that activity. 26 (C) The activities are otherwise consistent with regulations 27 promulgated and adopted by the bureau governing state temporary 28 event licenses. 29 (D) A state temporary event license shall only be issued in local 30 jurisdictions that authorize such events. 31 (E) A licensee who submits an application for a state temporary 32 event license shall, 60 days before the event, provide to the bureau 33 a list of all licensees that will be providing onsite sales of cannabis 34 or cannabis products at the event. If any changes occur in that list, 35 the licensee shall provide the bureau with a final updated list to 36 reflect those changes. A person shall not engage in the onsite retail 37 sale of cannabis or cannabis products, or in any way participate in 38 the event, who is not included in the list, including any updates, 39 provided to the bureau. 97 — 5 — AB 1356 1 (2) The bureau may impose a civil penalty on any person who 2 violates this subdivision, or any regulations adopted by the bureau 3 governing state temporary event licenses, in an amount up to three 4 times the amount of the license fee for each violation, consistent 5 with Sections 26018 and 26038. 6 (3) The bureau may require the event and all participants to 7 cease operations without delay if in the opinion of the bureau or 8 local law enforcement it is necessary to protect the immediate 9 public health and safety of the people of the state. The bureau may 10 also require the event organizer to immediately expel from the 11 event any participant selling cannabis or cannabis products without 12 a license from the bureau that authorizes the participant to sell 13 cannabis or cannabis products. If the unlicensed participant does 14 not leave the event, the bureau may require the event and all 15 participants to cease operations immediately. 16 (4) The order by the bureau for the event to cease operations 17 pursuant to paragraph (3) does not entitle the event organizer or 18 any participant in the event to a hearing or an appeal of the 19 decision. Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 490) of Division 20 1.5 and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 26040) of this 21 division shall not apply to the order by the bureau for the event to 22 cease operations pursuant to paragraph (3). 23 (5) The smoking of cannabis or cannabis products at temporary 24 events authorized pursuant to this subdivision is prohibited in 25 locations where smoking is prohibited. For purposes of this section, 26 "smoking" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (c) of 27 Section 22950.5. 28 (f) This division, or any regulations promulgated thereunder, 29 shall not be deemed to limit the authority or remedies of a city, 30 county, or city and county under any provision of law, including, 31 but not limited to, Section 7 of Article XI of the California 32 Constitution. 33 (g) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 34 11362.3 of the Health and Safety Code, a local jurisdiction may 35 allow for the smoking, vaporizing, and ingesting of cannabis or 36 cannabis products on the premises of a retailer or microbusiness 37 licensed under this division if all of the following are met: 38 (1) Access to the area where cannabis consumption is allowed 39 is restricted to persons 21 years of age or older. 97 AB 1356 1 (2) Cannabis consumption is not visible from any public place 2 or nonage -restricted area. 3 (3) Sale or consumption of alcohol or tobacco is not allowed 4 on the premises. 5 (h) This division shall not be interpreted to supersede Section 6 6404.5 of the Labor Code. 7 SEC. 2. Section 26200.1 is added to the Business and 8 Professions Code, to read: 9 26200.1. (a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (d), 10 a local jurisdiction shall comply with the requirements of this 11 subdivision if more than 50 percent of the electorate of that local 12 jurisdiction, as determined using election data from the Secretary 13 of State, voted in favor of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult 14 Use of Marijuana Act of 2016, an initiative measure enacted as 15 Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election. 16 (2) A local jurisdiction described in paragraph (1) shall issue a 17 minimum number of local licenses that authorize aelft t ttse re 18 eatittabis eommereial aetivity or medicinal retail cannabis 19 commercially activity, or a combination of medicinal retail 20 cannabis commercial activity and adult -use retail cannabis 21 commercial activity, within the jurisdiction that would be permitted 22 by a retailer license described in Section 26070, as determined by 23 paragraph (3). A local jurisdiction may impose a fee on licensees 24 to cover the regulatory costs of issuing those local licenses. 25 (3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the minimum 26 number of local licenses for retail cannabis commercial activity 27 that a local jurisdiction is required to issue pursuant to paragraph 28 (2) is 25 percent of the number of on -sale general license types 29 for alcoholic beverage sales that are currently active in that 30 jurisdiction, as determined pursuant to subparagraph (B). 31 (B) (i) (1) If the local jurisdiction is a city, the number of 32 on -sale general licenses for alcoholic beverages shall be determined 33 by adding all of the currently active licenses issued in the 34 jurisdiction that are of a license type listed in subclause (I1). If the 35 local jurisdiction is a county, the number of on -sale general licenses 36 for alcoholic beverages shall be determined by adding all of the 37 currently active licenses issued in the unincorporated regions of 38 the county that are of a license type listed in subclause (I1). 97 — 7 — AB 1356 1 (I1) For purposes of subclause (1), the following on -sale general 2 license types shall be counted: Types 47, 47D, 48, 48D, 57, 57D, 3 68, 70, 71, 71D, 75,7�D, 75D, 78, and 78D. 4 (ii) The number determined in clause (i) shall be divided by 5 four and rounded up to the nearest whole number using generally 6 accepted mathematical rounding practices. 7 (iii) If the number of local licenses for retail commercial 8 cannabis determined in clause (ii) would result in a ratio equal to, 9 or fewer than, one local license for retail cannabis commercial 10 activity for every 10,000 residents of the local jurisdiction, the 11 number determined in clause (ii) shall be the minimum number of 12 local licenses the jurisdiction is required to issue pursuant to 13 paragraph (2). 14 (C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), if the number 15 of local licenses for retail commercial cannabis determined in 16 clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) would result in a ratio greater than 17 one local license for retail cannabis commercial activity for every 18 10,000 residents of the local jurisdiction, the minimum number of 19 local licenses that the local jurisdiction is required to issue pursuant 20 to paragraph (2) shall be determined by dividing the number of 21 residents in the local jurisdiction by 10,000 and rounding down to 22 the nearest whole number. 23 (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a local jurisdiction 24 described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) that wants to establish 25 a lower amount of local licenses for retail cannabis commercial 26 activity than required by subdivision (a) shall do all of the 27 following: 28 (1) Create a local ordinance or other local law that clearly 29 specifies the level of participation in the retail commercial cannabis 30 market the local jurisdiction will allow. 31 (2) Submit that ordinance or other local law to the electorate of 32 that local jurisdiction at the next regularly scheduled local election 33 following the operative date of this section. 34 (3) If the ordinance or other local law is approved by more than 35 50 percent of the electorate of that local jurisdiction voting on the 36 issue, then the new ordinance or other local law shall become 37 effective in that local jurisdiction. 38 (c) If a local jurisdiction described in paragraph (1) of 39 subdivision (a) does not submit a local ordinance or other local 40 law to the electorate as described in subdivision (b), or that local 97 AB 1356 1 ordinance or other local law fails to receive more than 50 percent 2 of the approval of the electorate of that local jurisdiction voting 3 on the issue as described in subdivision (b), then the local 4 jurisdiction shall have 120 days after the next regularly scheduled 5 local election following the operative date of this section to issue 6 local licenses in compliance with subdivision (a). 7 (d) A local jurisdiction is exempt from this section if either of 8 the following applies: 9 (1) On or after January 1, 2017, and until January 1, 2020, the 10 local jurisdiction submitted to the electorate of the local 11 jurisdiction a local ordinance or resolution that authorizes retail 12 cannabis commercial activity, and a majority of the electorate 13 voted not to approve the local ordinance or resolution. 14 (2) On or after January 1, 2017, and until January 1, 2020, the 15 local jurisdiction submitted to the electorate of the local 16 jurisdiction a local ordinance or resolution that prohibits retail 17 cannabis commercial activity, and a majority of the electorate 18 voted to approve the local ordinance or resolution. 19 (4) 20 (e) For purposes of this section, all of the following shall apply: 21 (1) "Electorate of a county" means the electorate of the 22 unincorporated area of the county. 23 (2) "Local jurisdiction" means a city, county, or a city and a 24 county. 25 (3) "Local license" means any license, permit, or other 26 authorization from the local jurisdiction. 27 (fi This section shall not be construed to require a local 28 jurisdiction to authorize adult -use retail cannabis commercial 29 activity. 30 SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to 31 Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because 32 a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service 33 charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or 34 level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 35 17556 of the Government Code. 36 SEC. 4. The Legislature finds and declares that this act furthers 37 the purposes and intent of the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult 97 — 9 — AB 1356 1 Use of Marijuana Act as stated in subdivisions (u) and (x) of 2 Section 3 of that act. x 97