Bill > A08811

This bill establishes the "Small Cannabis Farmer Relief Act" to provide temporary canopy expansion opportunities for certain cannabis cultivators who are considered distressed farmers and legally cultivated cannabis in 2022 or 2023. Specifically, eligible licensees can expand their cultivation area up to twice the maximum square footage they cultivated in those years, but the expanded area cannot exceed the maximum limits for their corresponding cultivation tier. Licensees must submit verification of their previous canopy size to the cannabis office, and any denials can be appealed to the Cannabis Control Board. The bill ensures no additional fees will be assessed for these canopy expansions, and it includes microbusiness licensees who previously held adult-use conditional cultivator licenses. However, the bill maintains that no licensee can expand beyond the currently permitted maximum cultivation canopy size, and all expansions must continue to comply with existing environmental, security, and testing regulations. The provisions of this act will take effect immediately and remain in place until December 31, 2028, after which they will be automatically repealed.

Business and Industry

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8811