Bill > S3313

This bill amends the Rhode Island Cannabis Act to clarify terminology related to proof of residency for applicants, revise the definition of an "applicant" to broaden eligibility, and establish a new process for approving and certifying social equity and cannabis retail sales licenses. Specifically, it removes the requirement for an applicant to be a Rhode Island resident and instead allows for applicants with valid government-issued identification, and it revises the definition of a "social equity applicant" to focus on individuals impacted by past cannabis laws or those from equivalent offenses in other jurisdictions, rather than solely residency in disproportionately impacted areas. The bill also invalidates previous social equity and retail license application processes and mandates the commission to restart these processes within 60 days, refunding any fees paid for the voided applications, while also clarifying that the commission is not liable for amounts spent by applicants on these invalidated processes.