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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
ACT 26-38
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MARCH 21, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theLegalizationofMarijuanaforMedicalTreatmentInitiativeof 1999 toamend thedefinitionof an unlicensedestablishmentto include
establishmentsthatsellScheduleIsubstancesorproductsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances,toauthorizeenforcementactionstobetakenagainstallunlicensedestablishmentsbeginningonApril1,2025,regardlessofwhethertheunlicensedestablishmentshaveanapplicationpendingbeforetheAlcoholicBeverageandControlBoard,toauthorizecertainenforcementactionsbeforeApril1,2025,againstanunlicensedestablishmentthathasanapplicationpendingbeforetheAlcoholicBeverageandControlBoardiftheunlicensedestablishmentsellsaScheduleIsubstanceoraproductthatcontainsaScheduleIsubstance,toauthorizesummaryclosuresandrelatedenforcementactionstocontinueforaslongastheimminentdangertothepublicpersistsand islikelyto recur,and toallow theAlcoholicBeverage and Cannabis Administration
andMetropolitanPoliceDepartmenttotakerelatedenforcementactionsagainstalicensedmedicalcannabisestablishmentthatengagesincertainunlawfulactivity.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthis,actmaybecitedasthe“UnlicensedEstablishmentEnforcementClarificationEmergencyAmendment Act of 2025”.
Sec.2.TheLegalizationofMarijuanaforMedicalTreatmentInitiativeof1999,effectiveJuly27,2010(D.C.Law18-210;D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.01efseq.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section2(D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.01)isamendedasfollows:(1)A newparagraph(20B-i)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“Q0B-i)“ScheduleIsubstance”meansacontrolledsubstancelistedinsection204oftheDistrictofColumbiaUniformControlledSubstancesActof1981,effectiveAugust5,1981(D.C.Law4-29;D.C.OfficialCode§48-902.04),orrulesimplementingthatsection.”.(2)Paragraph(22)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(22)“Unlicensedestablishment”means:“(A)A soleproprietorship,partnership,orotherbusinessentitythat:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
“(i)Sells,exchangesaspartofa commercialtransaction,or
deliverscannabisand cannabisproducts;
“(ii)Operatesator deliversfrom a specificlocationintheDistrict;
and
“Gii)IsnotlicensedbyABCA asacultivationcenter,retailer,
internetretailer,manufacturer,courier,ortestinglaboratory;or
“(B)Forpurposesofsection9(c-1),(g),(h),and(i),asoleproprietorship,
partnership,orotherbusinessentitythat:
“(i)Sells,exchangesaspartofa commercialtransaction,or
deliversScheduleIsubstancesor productsthatcontainScheduleI substances;and
“(ii)Operatesatordeliversfroma specificlocationinthe
District.”.
(b)Section7b(D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.06b)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection
(a1)toreadasfollows:
“(a-1)Notwithstandingany otherprovisionof thissection,an unlicensedestablishment
maybesummarilyclosedandpadlockedpursuanttosection9(g)afterApril1,2025.”,
(c)Section9(D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.08)isamendedasfollows:
(1)A newsubsection(c-1)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(c-1)Itshallbe a violationof this actfora licensedestablishmentoran unlicensed
establishment(regardlessofwhethertheunlicensedestablishmenthasanapplicationpending
beforetheABC Board) tosell,exchange aspartofa commercial transaction,ordeliverSchedule
IsubstancesorproductsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances.”.
(2)Subsection(b)isamendedbyredesignatingthesecondparagraph(1)as
paragraph(2).
(3)Subsection(g)isamendedasfollows:(A)Paragraph(1)isamendedasfollows:(@Strikethephrase“thistitle”andinsertthephrase“thisact”initsplace.
(ii)Strikethephrase“cannabisproducts”andinsertthephrase“cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,orproductsthatcontainScheduleI substances”initsplace. (B)A newparagraph(6)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(6)TheABC Boardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,padlockingofthepremises,andseizureofcannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingScheduleIsubstancesuntiltheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureisabated.Eveniftheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureisabated,theABCBoardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,orderofpadlocking,andseizureofcannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingScheduleIsubstances,iftheABCBoarddetermines,initsreasonablejudgment,theimminentdangerislikelytorecur.”.
i)
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(4)A new subsection(g-1)isadded toreadas follows:
*(g-1)(1)TheABC Boardmaysummarilycloseandorderthepadlocking,byABCA or
MPD withoutaprior hearing,ofa licensedestablishment,and ABCA or MPD may seizeall
cannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleI substances,and productscontainingSchedule1
substancesfound atthepremises,if,afteran inspection,ABCA determinesthatthelicensed
establishmentpresentsan imminent dangertothehealthand safetyof the publicforthereasons
setforthinsubsection(g)(2)(C)through(G) of thissection.
“(2)ABCA shallprovidethelicensedestablishment'sowner and theproperty
ownerwithwrittennoticeofthesummaryclosureandtherighttorequestahearing.
“(3)The owner of thelicensedestablishmentshallhave 5 businessdays after
serviceofthenoticeofsummaryclosuretorequestahearingwiththeABCBoard,whichshallholdahearingwithin5businessdaysofatimelyrequest.
“(4)The ABC Board shallissuea writtendecisionwithin5 businessdays afterthe
hearing,or ifno hearingisrequested,within10 businessdays aftertheserviceof thenotice.”.
“(5)The ABC Board may continuethesummary closure,padlockingof the
premises,and seizureof cannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleI substances,and products
containingScheduleIsubstancesuntiltheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureis
abated,Even iftheimminent dangerthattriggeredthesummary closureisabated,theABC
Board may continuethesummary closure,orderof padlocking,and seizureof cannabis,cannabis
products,ScheduleIsubstances,and productscontainingScheduleIsubstances,if theABC
Board determines,initsreasonablejudgment,theimminent danger islikelytorecur.”.
(5)Subsection(h)isamended as follows:
(A)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(h)(1)ABCA ortheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentmaypostsignageatthesiteofthe
unlicensedestablishmentorlicensedestablishmentindicatingthatactivitythatviolatesthisact
hasbeenfoundtohaveoccurredattheestablishment.”.
(B)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“unlicensed
establishment”and insertingthephrase“unlicensedestablishmentorlicensedestablishment”in
itsplace.
(6)Subsection(i)(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(i)(1)An ABCA investigatormay testcannabisand cannabisproductsfound ata
licensedestablishmentor unlicensedestablishmenttoquantifytheirTHC contentand may test
othersubstancesand productsfound ata licensedestablishmentorunlicensedestablishmentfor
thepresenceandquantityofa ScheduleIsubstance.”,
See4,Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.5.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection
412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788:D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
APPROVEDMARCH 21, 2025
[ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[x]AcTION
[x1VOTEDATE
[xVoicevoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE-Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
March4,2025
‘Approved
oa rytothe= 3
[CouncitMember[Aye[Nay|NV| AB[Rec[CouncilMember[Aye|Nay[NV[AB CouncilMember Nay|Nv[AB[Reo
ChairmanMendetson)X Henderson x Pinto
Allen x LewisGeorge| x R.White
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Patker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD