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AB-1965 • 2026

Cannabis: testing: quality assurance.

Cannabis: testing: quality assurance.

Children Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Sharp-Collins
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Official sources do not specify how often testing labs must be checked for consistency or what happens if a lab fails performance testing.

Cannabis Testing Standards

AB-1965 updates cannabis testing requirements, ensuring all products are tested and allowing retests under specific conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires all cannabis or cannabis products to undergo testing before they can be sold.
  • Allows a laboratory to retest samples if there was an equipment malfunction or staff error during the initial test.
  • Lets the Department of Cannabis Control access any cannabis products for additional testing without prior notice.
  • Needs retailers to give customers certificates showing that their products have passed tests when asked.
  • Requires testing labs to be subject to performance testing to ensure consistency and accuracy.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Cannabis businesses, including growers and sellers
  • Testing laboratories for cannabis products
  • The Department of Cannabis Control

Terms To Know

Certificate of Analysis
A document that shows a batch of cannabis has passed all required tests.
Department of Cannabis Control
The government agency in charge of regulating and overseeing the cannabis industry.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how often testing labs must be checked for consistency.
  • Does not detail what happens if a lab fails performance testing.
  • Does not provide information on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on B. & P.

  3. 2026-02-14 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  4. 2026-02-13 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1965, as introduced, Sharp-Collins.
Cannabis: testing: quality assurance.
Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), an initiative measure, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA and any applicable local ordinances to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license, if conducted as prescribed. Existing law, the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities, and requires the Department of Cannabis Control to administer its provisions.
Existing law prohibits cannabis or cannabis products from being sold by a licensee unless specified quality assurance standards and testing standards are met. Existing law requires representative samples of the cannabis or cannabis products in their final form to be
tested by a licensed testing laboratory, and requires the department to develop criteria to determine which batches are tested. Existing law authorizes the testing laboratory to retest a sample if the testing laboratory notifies the department, in writing, that the test was compromised due to equipment malfunction, staff error, or another circumstance authorized by the department, and the department authorizes the retest of that sample. Existing law requires the testing laboratory to issue a certificate of analysis that the cannabis batch has passed the testing requirements, and authorizes the testing laboratory to amend the certificate of analysis to correct minor errors, as specified.
This bill would specify that all cannabis or cannabis products are subject to test or retest, and would revise the retest requirements to instead authorize a testing laboratory to retest a sample of cannabis or cannabis products if either the testing laboratory notifies the
department, in writing, that the test was compromised due to equipment malfunction or staff error, if the department requires the retest, or if the department authorizes the request.
This bill would require the licensee to allow the department to obtain or access any cannabis or cannabis products held or offered for retail sale for the purposes of conducting off-the-shelf laboratory testing. The bill would also require a retailer and any other licensee authorized to engage in the retail sale of cannabis or cannabis products to provide the certificate of analysis associated with any cannabis or cannabis product held or offered for retail sale to a customer upon request.
This bill would also require a testing laboratory to be subject to performance testing to ensure consistency of results across laboratories.
Existing law authorizes a testing laboratory to receive and test samples of
cannabis or cannabis products from state or local law enforcement, or a prosecuting or regulatory agency, as specified, and provides that the testing of that cannabis is not commercial cannabis activity for purposes of MAUCRSA and is not arranged or overseen by the department.
This bill would require a licensed testing laboratory to comply with the department’s request to evaluate the laboratory’s testing practice.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF