Along with high-profile efforts to enhance public security and training, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has known as on lawmakers to handle hashish through the 30-day legislative session.
Lujan Grisham issued a message on Thursday afternoon, authorizing lawmakers so as to add adjustments to the Hashish Regulation Act to the legislative agenda.
The governor’s message pertains to SB 100, which is sponsored by state Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque. The invoice, if handed, would enhance manufacturing limits for hashish microbusinesses, enable state regulators to require training necessities for hashish servers, enable liquor license holders to additionally acquire a hashish enterprise license and permit some hashish companies to make use of employees who’re beneath 21, however over 18 years of age, in addition to different adjustments to the legislation.
The state’s Hashish Management Division introduced earlier this week that it deliberate to work with the governor and lawmakers to increase plant limits for cannabis microbusinesses as a approach to fight anticipated shortages in April when gross sales are anticipated to start. The division additionally introduced an emergency rule change for non-microbusinesses, however manufacturing limits for smaller operations are written into statute. SB 100 proposes to extend plant limits for microbusinesses from 200 to 1,000 mature crops.
The invoice would additionally enable hashish companies that beforehand solely bought medical hashish to make use of employees who’re 18 years of age. Underneath the state’s medical hashish legislation, producers have been allowed to rent staff who’re 18, however the Hashish Management Act states that hashish staff should be 21 years of age or older.
Different proposed adjustments to the legislation embrace coordination between the Hashish Management Division and legislation enforcement companies to raised monitor doable felony histories of hashish operators that may disqualify them from working within the trade. The invoice additionally proposes permitting these with a liquor license to additionally acquire a hashish enterprise license, though it will nonetheless prohibit each varieties of licenses on the identical institution.
New Mexico Hashish Chamber of Commerce Government Director Ben Lewinger advised NM Political Report that “The chamber helps the fixes the invoice is attempting to make to the Hashish Regulation Act.”
New Mexico legalized recreational-use hashish final June and the state started issuing manufacturing, manufacturing and retail licenses late final yr. The legislation at the moment requires non-medical gross sales to start no later than April 1.
As soon as the governor’s message is learn into the document on the Senate flooring, which can possible be Monday when the Senate is scheduled to reconvene, SB 100 shall be thought of germane and could be heard by committees.
