Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S87 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1142 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 87
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Liz Miranda
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Liz MirandaSecond Suffolk 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1142 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 87
18	18	By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 87) of Liz Miranda for legislation
19	19	to increase the share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs. Cannabis
20	20	Policy.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act delivering a fair share of cannabis revenue to communities harmed by the war on drugs.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Section 14 (b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
30	30	22022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the number “15” and replacing it with the
31	31	3number “18” and inserting after the term "14A" the following:-
32	32	4 "an amount equal to 12 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal
33	33	5year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund established in Section 14A for
34	34	6Social Equity Business technical assistance programs and support for socially or economically
35	35	7disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, businesses
36	36	8owned by people who have been arrested for a marijuana-related offense or their immediate
37	37	9family members, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, worker-owned, or immigrant-
38	38	10owned microbusinesses and small businesses that have historically faced obstacles to accessing
39	39	11capital, provided further that 10 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal
40	40	12year shall be transferred to the executive office of economic development to administer a 2 of 4
41	41	13community empowerment and reinvestment grant program, provided further that 5 per cent of
42	42	14the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis
43	43	15Social Equity Trust Fund established in section 14A to provide matching grants to municipal
44	44	16equity funds, provided further that 5 per cent of the revenue deposited in the fund in the prior
45	45	17fiscal year shall be transferred to the Cannabis Control Commission for its Social Equity
46	46	18Program and implementation of procedures and policies to promote and encourage full
47	47	19participation in the regulated marijuana industry by people from communities that have
48	48	20previously been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement and to
49	49	21positively impact those communities. The community empowerment and reinvestment grant
50	50	22program will strengthen and invest in communities: (i) that are disproportionately impacted by
51	51	23the criminal justice system; (ii) where a high percentage of individuals’ incomes fall below 250
52	52	24per cent of the federal poverty level; and (iii) with a large population of socially and
53	53	25economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided, that the board
54	54	26established in this item in section 2 of chapter 227 of the acts of 2020 shall make
55	55	27recommendations to the executive office on the criteria for making grants available to
56	56	28communities and organizations; provided further, that said board shall consist of individuals
57	57	29from and with experience advocating on behalf of said communities; provided further, that said
58	58	30board shall be comprised entirely of individuals who belong to a demographic of socially and
59	59	31economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; provided further, that
60	60	32eligible uses of grant funding shall include, but not be limited to, for socially and economically
61	61	33disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups: (a) job training, job creation and job
62	62	34placement for those who face high barriers to employment in said communities; (b) transitional
63	63	35employment programs, social enterprise, pre-apprenticeship or other training programs; (c) 3 of 4
64	64	36school-based or community-based high school dropout prevention and re-engagement programs;
65	65	37(d) cooperative, microbusiness, and small business development programs and community-based
66	66	38workforce development programs; and (e) programs focused on housing stabilization services,
67	67	39addiction treatment and trauma-informed mental health care; and provided further, that not later
68	68	40than April 1, 2025, the executive office shall submit a report to the house and senate committees
69	69	41on ways and means detailing: (1) criteria established for creating grants; (2) grants approved
70	70	42under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; (3) grants expected to be approved
71	71	43under this item, delineated by municipality and organization; and (4) the status of funds
72	72	44distributed for approved grants."
73	73	45 SECTION 2. Section 14A(a) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
74	74	462022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “applicants” the following:-
75	75	47 “and organizations that support their businesses and workforces. Grant and loan programs
76	76	48for businesses and nonprofit organizations may fund technical assistance projects on behalf of
77	77	49Social Equity Businesses and general operating support to socially or economically
78	78	50disadvantaged ancillary businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-
79	79	51owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small
80	80	52businesses, that have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital, and that have a
81	81	53demonstrated experience supporting cannabis businesses, including annual grants of not less than
82	82	54$250,000 to The EON Foundation, not less than $500,000 to the Coalition for an Equitable
83	83	55Economy, and not less than $500,000 to Mass CultivatED.” 4 of 4
84	84	56 SECTION 3. Section 14A(b) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
85	85	572022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out “2 persons” and replacing it with “3
86	86	58persons” and inserting after the phrase “preferably in the cannabis industry” the following:-
87	87	59 “with one designated ancillary business representative”
88	88	60 SECTION 4. Section 14A(c) of chapter 94G of the General Laws, as so appearing in the
89	89	612022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the phrase “social equity businesses”
90	90	62the following:-
91	91	63 “ancillary organizations”
92	92	64 and by striking out the number “5” and replacing it with the number “2” and inserting
93	93	65after “from receipt of a Provisional License from the Cannabis Control Commission”.