ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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A RESOLUTION
25-489
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
May 7, 2024
To declare the existence of an emergency basis, due to congressional review, with respect to the
need to amend the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1999 to
clarify which Advisory Neighborhood Commissions have standing to file a protest and
allow the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board to extend the public comment period
for up to 30-calendar days, to establish the requirement that all retailers be located more
than 400 feet from each other, to clarify that cultivation center, retailer, and internet
retailer licenses issued to unlicensed establishments count toward the overall 50% set
aside requirement for social equity applicants, and to clarify the process for unlicensed
establishments being issued a medical cannabis cultivation center, retailer, or internet
retailer license.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Medical Cannabis License Clarification Congressional Review
Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024”.
Sec. 2. (a) There existed an immediate need to clarify which Advisory Neighborhood
Commissions have standing to file a protest and allow the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis
Board to extend the public comment period for up to 30-calendar days, to establish the
requirement that all retailers be located more than 400 feet from each other, to clarify that
cultivation center, retailer, and internet retailer licenses issued to unlicensed establishments count
toward the overall 50% set aside requirement for social equity applicants, and to clarify the
process for unlicensed establishments being issued a medical cannabis cultivation center, retailer,
or internet retailer license.
(b) In February 2024, the Council enacted the Medical Cannabis License Clarification
Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, effective February 22, 2024 (D.C. Act 25-403; 71 DCR
2101), (“emergency legislation”) and the Medical Cannabis License Clarification Temporary
Amendment Act of 2024, passed on 2nd reading on March 5, 2024 (Enrolled version Bill 25-
679), (“temporary legislation”) to address the above-referenced needs.
(c) The emergency legislation expires on May 22, 2024. The temporary legislation must
still complete the 30-day review period required by section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-
206.02(c)(1)), and will not become law until after the emergency legislation has expired.
(d) It is necessary that the provisions of the emergency legislation continue in effect,
without interruption, until the temporary legislation is in effect.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute
emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Medical Cannabis License Clarification
Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.