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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1142 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 87
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Liz Miranda
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1142 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 87
By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 87) of Liz Miranda for legislation
to increase the share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs. Cannabis
Policy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 14 (b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
22022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the number “15” and replacing it with the
3number “18” and inserting after the term "14A" the following:-
4 "an amount equal to 12 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal
5year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund established in Section 14A for
6Social Equity Business technical assistance programs and support for socially or economically
7disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, businesses
8owned by people who have been arrested for a marijuana-related offense or their immediate
9family members, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned, or immigrant-
10owned microbusinesses and small businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing
11capital, provided further that 10 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal
12year shall be transferred to the executive office of economic development to administer a 2 of 4
13community empowerment and reinvestment grant program, provided further that 5 per cent of
14the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis
15Social Equity Trust Fund established in section 14A to provide matching grants to municipal
16equity funds, provided further that 5 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior
17fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Control Commission for its Social Equity
18Program and implementation of procedures and policies to promote and encourage full
19participation in the regulated marijuana industry by people from communities that have
20previously been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement and to
21positively impact those communities. The community empowerment and reinvestment grant
22program will strengthen and invest in communities: (i) that are disproportionately impacted by
23the criminal justice system; (ii) where a high percentage of individuals’ incomes fall below 250
24per cent of the federal poverty level; and (iii) with a large population of socially and
25economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided, that the board
26established in this item in section 2 of chapter 227 of the acts of 2020 shall make
27recommendations to the executive office on the criteria for making grants available to
28communities and organizations; provided further, that said board shall consist of individuals
29from and with experience advocating on behalf of said communities; provided further, that said
30board shall be comprised entirely of individuals who belong to a demographic of socially and
31economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided further, that
32eligible uses of grant funding shall include, but not be limited to, for socially and economically
33disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups: (a) job training, job creation and job
34placement for those who face high barriers to employment in said communities; (b) transitional
35employment programs, social enterprise, pre-apprenticeship or other training programs; (c) 3 of 4
36school-based or community-based high school dropout prevention and re-engagement programs;
37(d) cooperative, microbusiness, and small business development programs and community-based
38workforce development programs; and (e) programs focused on housing stabilization services,
39addiction treatment and trauma-informed mental health care; and provided further, that not later
40than April 1, 2025, the executive office shall submit a report to the house and senate committees
41on ways and means detailing: (1) criteria established for creating grants; (2) grants approved
42under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; (3) grants expected to be approved
43under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; and (4) the status of funds
44distributed for approved grants."
45 SECTION 2. Section 14A(a) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
462022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “applicants” the following:-
47 “and organizations that support their businesses and workforces. Grant and loan programs
48for businesses and nonprofit organizations may fund technical assistance projects on behalf of
49Social Equity Businesses and general operating support to socially or economically
50disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-
51owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small
52businesses, that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital, and that have a
53demonstrated experience supporting cannabis businesses, including annual grants of not less than
54$250,000 to The EON Foundation, not less than $500,000 to the Coalition for an Equitable
55Economy, and not less than $500,000 to Mass CultivatED.” 4 of 4
56 SECTION 3. Section 14A(b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
572022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out “2 persons” and replacing it with “3
58persons” and inserting after the phrase “preferably in the cannabis industry” the following:-
59 “with one designated ancillary business representative”
60 SECTION 4. Section 14A(c) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
612022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the phrase “social equity businesses”
62the following:-
63 “ancillary organizations”
64 and by striking out the number “5” and replacing it with the number “2” and inserting
65after “from receipt of a Provisional License from the Cannabis Control Commission”.