Bill > B26-0051

Introduced Session

A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA To amend Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code to establish the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board and the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration; to establish that the Chairperson of the ABCA Board may also have demonstrated knowledge in the cannabis industry; to establish the Cannabis Regulation Division; to establish the Cannabis Advisory Committee; to define various terms for new chapters 21 through 30; to prohibit the sale of cannabis or cannabis products without a license; to prohibit exchanges of cannabis for purchasing another item; to provide the Board with the authority to issue cannabis licenses for 3 year periods; to create the Cannabis Equity and Opportunity Fund; to set aside a certain percentage of licenses for Social Equity Applicants; to establish grant and loan programs for Social Equity Applicants; to create requirements for the transfer of Social Equity Applicant licenses; to establish the Community Reinvestment Fund, Program and Board; to authorize the Board to create incentives for the production of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products; to create cultivation, manufacturer, microbusiness, internet retailer, retailer, courier and testing facility license categories; to create a research and development license category; to require laboratory agent registration with the ABCA; to require cannabis microbusinesses and retailers to obtain a delivery endorsement from the Board to deliver cannabis and cannabis products to District residents’ homes; to create general qualifications for applicants; to establish general qualifications for proposed establishments; to clarify when the appropriateness standards apply to cannabis license applications; to prohibit a microbusiness or retailer from being located within 400 feet of schools, daycare, or recreation centers or in a residential-use district; to require the Board to give notice to the Councilmembers and affected ANCs for 45 days of various cannabis license applications; to establish grounds for protest; to establish licensing fees for cannabis license applications; to establish requirements for filing a protest; to provide an affected ANC great weight; to establish general operating and product testing requirements; to require posting of licenses; to establish hours of operation for cannabis licensees; to require licensees use a Board-approved seed-to-sale tracking system; to establish maximum permitted sale amounts for microbusinesses and retailers; to create packaging and labeling requirements for cannabis products; to restrict what can be displayed on signs or logos from cannabis licensees; to restrict the content and methods for advertising cannabis and cannabis products; to prohibit the sale of cannabis or cannabis products to minors; to prohibit minors from entering a licensed premises; to require the production of valid photo identification for entrance on to the premises or for the sale of cannabis or cannabis products; to require security plans and measures for licensed cannabis establishments; to require safekeeping by ABCA of licenses that are temporarily suspended; to provide enforcement authority to ABCA investigators, the Board, and MPD; to require the Board to establish a civil penalty fine schedule by rulemaking and establish penalties against unlicensed establishments; to prohibit the sale of cannabis or cannabis products at licensed alcohol and tobacco establishments; to prohibit the sale of alcohol or tobacco infused cannabis products; to prohibit tampering with packages or containers; to make it unlawful to provide vaping devices to persons under 21 years of age; to make it unlawful to forge a cannabis license; to provide a penalty for violations where no specific penalty is provided; to prohibit purchase, possession, use or consumption by persons under the age of 21; to impose an excise tax on cannabis sold or transferred from cultivators to distributors, manufacturers, and retailers; to establish the authority for financial institutions to transact business with licensees; to create a portal to ensure compliance of financial institutions; and to allow the transfer to another person 21 years or older cannabis weighing ‘one ounce or less, or one clone, regardless of weight.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Charles Allen (D)*,  Christina Henderson (I)*,  Kenyan McDuffie (I)*,  Phil Mendelson (D)*,  Robert White (D)*, 

Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety (on 03/03/2026)

Official Document