As former Governor Andrew Cuomo is out, and new Governor Kathy Hochul is in, New York may soon see its legal marijuana industry moving a lot faster.
Hochul has vowed to launch the state’s legal marijuana industry that Cuomo had stalled on.
Getting the marijuana sales program off the ground will be a high priority for the governor.
Cuomo did not nominate an executive director for the new Office of Cannabis Management or name appointees to the Cannabis Control Board, even though the Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act was passed months ago. The Senate must confirm the appointments.
These appointments are vital as they are necessary to set up and approve new rules and licensing for firms and employees in the emerging marijuana industry.
“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 new governor’s spokesman, Jordan Bennett, told The Post.
“We look forward to working with the legislature to keep this process moving forward,” the Hochul rep said.
Hochul has discussed wanting to move on the cannabis appointments with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).
“They have spoken about the need to make appointments to the board,” said Mike Murphy, a spokesman for Stewart-Cousins.
Heastie has said that the governor has an implementation of the marijuana program would be a priority during a private meeting he attended with the new governor and Stewart-Cousins on Tuesday.
“She did say that that was something that she wanted us all to concentrate on — and we agreed,” Heastie said.
New York will charge a 13 percent excise tax on marijuana sales under the new law, with 9 percent going to the state and 4 percent to local governments.
