The successful candidates for Rhode Island’s subsequent two-dozen hashish retail licenses could possibly be chosen by a lottery – however solely after they’re screened primarily based on {qualifications} resembling “means and readiness for licensure” – beneath a proposal accepted by the Rhode Island Hashish Management Fee.
The three-member regulatory board unanimously accepted a proposal offered Friday by Mariana Ormonde, the fee’s chief authorized counsel, in keeping with digital information website Rhode Island Present.
Ormande mentioned that beneath the hybrid choice course of – license candidates must be deemed eligible earlier than being enrolled within the lottery system – authorized and financial challenges that dogged states resembling Illinois, New Jersey and New York could be prevented.
Fee Chair Kimberly Ahern mentioned through the assembly that she is keen to keep away from additional marijuana business delays within the state, which legalized adult-use hashish in 2021.
Different states which have carried out a hybrid software course of embrace Connecticut, which legalized leisure marijuana in 2021, and Massachusetts, the place potential companies should get hold of native planning and zoning approval earlier than showing earlier than the state’s Hashish Management Fee.
The lottery would happen solely in zones the place demand for retail licenses is larger than the accessible provide.
Below the Rhode Island Hashish Act, retail licenses should be distributed all through six geographic zones, with every zone permitted a most of 4 shops, together with two which can be reserved for a social fairness applicant and a employees’ cooperative, or enterprise owned by workers.
Ormonde’s presentation to the fee didn’t present an estimate of the charge to enter the license lottery.
However beneath the state’s Hashish Act, retailers should pay $125,000 to the Division of Enterprise Regulation to promote leisure marijuana and an annual licensing charge of $30,000 (the preliminary charge was $500,000).
Draft laws nonetheless should be finalized earlier than the licenses might be awarded.