NEVADA GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL
CREATING CANNABIS COMPLIANCE BOARD
In January 2019, Governor Steve Sisolak appointed a seven-member advisory panel to explore the formation of a Cannabis Compliance Board. In June 2019, the advisory panel’s recommendations became a reality when Governor Sisolak signed Assembly Bill 533, which creates the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB). The CCB will consist of five members appointed by the governor and will be modeled after Nevada’s Gaming Control Board. Under Assembly Bill 533, the CCB must include a cannabis industry expert, an attorney, a doctor, a finance expert, and someone with law enforcement or investigation training. Once operational, the CCB will have full regulatory power over Nevada’s marijuana industry, which for the time being, is being overseen by the Nevada Department of Taxation. The intent is for CCB to be fully formed and operational by July 2020, though it remains unclear if the state is on track to transfer complete control from the Department of Taxation to the new CCB in just a few short months.
As of February 24, 2020, the governor has not yet made appointments to all five seats on the CCB. At present, only three of the five seats have been appointed. The current appointments include former Nevada Supreme Court Justice Michael Douglas and former Gaming Control Board Chairman Dennis Neilander. Justice Douglas, who retired from the high court last year, will serve as chair of the new CCB.
CCB Will Have Complete Compliance Over Marijuana Licensing
Once operational, the CCB will have complete control over marijuana licensing. There is no word yet on when licensing activity will resume. In recent months, the Department of Taxation has implemented a freeze on all license transfers due to ongoing lawsuits regarding the state’s licensing process and reports of potential corruption within the marijuana licensing process. In addition to assuming control over the licensing process, the CCB will also have regulatory control and oversight authority regarding laboratory testing and marijuana product safety.
The CCB will also be vested with disciplinary authority that will include the ability to limit, condition, suspend or revoke marijuana licenses and related registrations, as well as the ability to impose monetary penalties. You can read more about CCB Discipline Proceedings here.
If you or your business is being investigated for any alleged violation of Nevada’s marijuana laws or related regulations, call The Wright Law Group, P.C. today. Nevada’s marijuana industry is growing, and the processes and regulations regarding licensing and discipline are in a state of flux. If you are under investigation for a marijuana license related infraction, it is important that you speak with a law firm that is up to date on the latest developments and changes regarding marijuana licensing and regulation. The Wright Law Group, P.C., can help. Our attorneys have several decades of complex litigation and administrative law experience, and we are keeping up to date on the latest developments in Nevada’s marijuana industry. If you need help or have questions, call us now at (702) 405-0001 to arrange a consultation.