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California fast tracking cannabis business licenses for refugees

February 10, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

As part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to support diversity, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control is expediting marijuana business licenses for refugees and asylum seekers, while some citizens spend years navigating the bureaucratic system.

Signed by Newsom on Sept. 27, 2020, AB 2113 requires state agencies to expedite and provide extra assistance to business license applicants with evidence they are a refugee, have been granted asylum or have a special immigrant visa. Prior laws prohibited state agencies from discriminating based on immigration status, but did not provide special status.

“California is a greater and more vibrant place because of our immigrant and refugee communities,” Newsom said. “I thank the Legislature for advancing these policies to support our fellow Californians, no matter where they were born.”

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Cannabis Control reached out to applicants for marijuana grows, pot shops and manufacturing facilities to let them know, that as of Jan. 1, refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants may seek an expedited licensure process.

“In order to receive the expedited licensure process, individuals must provide documentation of their refugee, asylee, or special immigrant visa status when submitting their application package,” the notice said. “Please note that this does not mean a license must be issued, but simply that the process will be expedited.”


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So, the governor and the CA democrats/legislature wants to virtue signal by catering to wealthy refugees and asylum seekers? The target audience is obviously multi-millionaire refugees. Not only does it cost $100k in city fees to be considered for a permit, but then you’ve got lab fees, payroll, rent or more-likely property ownership and improvement costs to get into this highly regulated industry. That pretty much means the vast majority of refugees have no chance of benefitting from this preferential treatment. Basically, if the immigrant is already wealthy they’ll be able to participate and then the question arises do they really need the help establishing a business to hire more refugees instead of established residents? Maybe the cartels can find a squeaky clean immigrant front person so they can have legit looking business to front and to launder their money. Maybe the Dems think that’s better than dropping three illegals into the middle of the Los Padres forest with canned food and drip irrigation to babysit a crop or distribute the ganja?


13

What a racket. Now, not only it is possible to cut the line to enter the country by claiming refugee status, but you can also have the permit process expedited and cut the line there too.

Equity for all, welcome to CA!


19

Correct, and you can cut in line to cross the border without proving a negative Covid test, but a middle-class family from Sweden, on vacation to the US, must verify their negative test status. Worse yet, the Biden/Harris administration has suggested restricting travel within the US for Floridians.


4

This bill received unanimous votes in both the Assembly and Senate, so obviously Republicans also thought it was a good idea. In fact, in the Senate floor analysis, there was zero opposition reported.


https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2113


-12

So what are you trying to say? They’re all stupid and failed the hard working legal citizen’s again? What’s new? If zero opposition is fact, then it more than proves that they’re cowardly hapless fools.


15

Nice try but zero republicans voted for it. There are 60 democrats in the Assembly and 30 democrats in the Senate. The 19 republicans Assembly-persons didn’t bother to vote and were recorded as NVR=no vote recorded. The 10 republican Senators did the same. Maybe you should do research first before you spitball a false point.


10

It was still unanimous. And Republicans voiced ZERO opposition to the bill. Wouldn’t they have recorded opposing arguments if they thought it was a bad bill?


3

The vote in the assembly was 65-0.


3

Cunningham voted Aye.


4

It doesn’t matter what you try to say, This senseless act of treason is on your Democrat comrades. They own this, and as time goes forward, they will pay for it. This will come back to bit them. Mark my words. Kind of like Cuomo in New York.


-1

Sorry sir, it was 60/0.

People who do not vote have no opinion on the issue.Shame for a congressman or a senator.


3

So we can allow a foothold for drug cartel grow farms?….who came up with this bit of genius?…


20

No state will deny to any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws. How is this not illegal?


21

Wow can that idiot take a day off from making dumbass decisions that make absolutely no sense at all. Recall Newsome


82

As a disabled combat veteran, I wonder where I would go in the pecking order if I were to apply for a license.


61

According to the law, the Department of Consumer Affairs already accords those honorably discharged from the armed forces this expedited process. Download the Senate Floor analysis and see p. 3.


https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2113


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