New Jersey Senate Bill Would Overhaul Adult-Use Dispensary Licensing Rules

A new proposal by New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D) aims to expand the state’s adult-use cannabis industry by simplifying the licensing process for retailers and unfettering the state’s cannabis regulatory agency, the New Jersey Monitor reports.

The proposal, Bill S4847, would let medical cannabis retailers apply for adult-use licenses without local approval, even in towns that have banned adult-use dispensaries. (When New Jersey voters passed the state’s cannabis legalization policy, about 70% of state municipalities opted for an option to ban adult-use dispensaries at the local level).

The bill would also loosen some oversight rules for sitting members of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, specifying that commissioners are allowed to engage in political activity like campaigning for office and fundraising for said campaigns, and would loosen rules that currently prevent commissioners from speaking with individuals who have an application before the board.

The proposal also increases commissioners’ salaries from $125,000 to $160,000, and the chair’s salary from $141,000 to $156,000.

New Jersey voters passed cannabis legalization in 2020. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legislation to implement the voter-approved initiative in 2021, and the state’s adult-use industry opened in 2022.

The state’s first cannabis establishments licensed to allow social consumption opened for business earlier this year.