Connect with us

News

Senator Files Bill Extending New York Cannabis Equity Benefits to Trans, Nonbinary People

Published

on

In conversations surrounding equity and cannabis, a New York senator has filed a bill adding consideration for transgender and nonbinary people to qualify as social equity applicants under the state’s cannabis laws, according to reporting by Marijuana Moment.

Senator Jeremy Cooney said that part of the reason for the legislation is because of an “unintended consequence” in the current language of the adult-use law, which would currently “force certain individuals from choosing between their gender identity and receiving priority for a license,” according to the bill’s justification section.

The cannabis law in New York currently gives licensing priority to women-owned businesses, along with other marginalized groups and organizations who have been impacted by prohibition and the War on Drugs. Though, the language specifically surrounding women creates problems specifically for those in the trans and nonbinary community.

A trans man, or a nonbinary person who was assigned female at birth, would have to purposely misgender themselves and indicate they incorrectly identify as their assigned sex at birth or miss out on equity benefits. Making business owners decide between the potential for equity benefits or holding firm in their identity and not receiving the resources they might have otherwise presents a problem.

The legislation also says, “This bill will include transgender and gender-nonbinary individuals in the social and economic equity plan giving them priority in licensing. Every New Yorker deserves the right to express and identify their gender as they choose.”

It adds that the social equity aspect of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act is meant to uplift historically marginalized groups through economic opportunities and says the new bill “furthers that effort.”

Now the legislation enters the Senate Rules Committee for consideration.

The bill comes about eight months after former Governor Andrew Cuomo signed recreational cannabis into law and made New York the 15th state to legalize recreational cannabis. The state also announced several policy changes since, like its employee testing policy—becoming the first state in the union to prohibit testing most employees for cannabis—along with the ability to smoke cannabis in public anywhere tobacco can be smoked.

The law signed by Cuomo indicates that 50 percent of cannabis business licenses shall be set aside for equity applicants. There are currently no shops open for business in the state, and the implementation process has been drawn out.

Governor Kathy Hochul (D) replaced Cuomo after resigning amid a sexual harassment scandal and, out the gate, reinforced her intent to efficiently and quickly implement the legalization law for the state.

“Nominating and confirming individuals with diverse experiences and subject matter expertise, who are representative of communities from across the state, to the Cannabis Control Board is a priority for Gov. Hochul,” the governor’s spokesman, Jordan Bennett, told The New York Post shortly after Hochul was appointed.

Hochul recently said that she had made regulatory appointments that were previously delayed by her predecessor, adding, “I believe there’s thousands and thousands of jobs” that could be created in the new industry.”

At the Business Council of New York State’s annual meeting in September, she talked about the state’s business work ethic and the importance of supporting markets of varying sizes, including those in the budding cannabis industry.

“We do want to go big or go home, and I want to help you get there,” she said. “I need you to survive because you’re the identity of New York that people create jobs and opportunities. You are who we are as New Yorkers. Your success means the success of this entire state.”

The state’s Cannabis Control Board held its first meeting last month as well, which was a crucial step in moving forward to implement New York’s adult-use cannabis program.