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B26-0163 • 2025

Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
at the request of the Mayor
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the continuation of summary closures beyond the initial enforcement actions, hence this claim was removed.

Clarifying Rules for Unlicensed Cannabis and Schedule I Substance Sales

This law changes the definition of unlicensed establishments to include those selling Schedule I substances or products containing them, allowing enforcement actions against such businesses without pending applications.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of an 'unlicensed establishment' to include places that sell Schedule I substances or products with these substances.
  • Allows for immediate closure and padlocking of unlicensed establishments selling Schedule I substances after April 1, 2025.
  • Gives the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) authority to take enforcement actions against licensed medical cannabis establishments that engage in unlawful activities involving Schedule I substances.
  • Requires ABCA or MPD to provide written notice to owners of closed establishments, allowing them a chance to request a hearing within five business days.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Unlicensed establishments selling Schedule I substances or products containing these substances.
  • Licensed medical cannabis establishments engaging in unlawful activities involving Schedule I substances.
  • The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Terms To Know

Schedule I substance
A controlled substance listed under the District of Columbia Uniform Controlled Substances Act.
Unlicensed establishment
A business that sells cannabis, cannabis products, or Schedule I substances without a proper license from ABCA.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law expires on January 21, 2026.
  • It only applies to unlicensed establishments in the District of Columbia.
  • Enforcement actions are limited to those that present an imminent danger to public health and safety.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0010, Effective from Jun 10, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 006764, Expires on Jan 21, 2026

  2. 2025-04-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  3. 2025-04-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0047 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 004892

  4. 2025-04-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0047

  5. 2025-04-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-04-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 22, 2025

  7. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-03-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0163 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Business and Economic Development

  10. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-02-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0163 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
D.C. ACT 26-47
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
APRIL 22, 2025
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theLegalizationofMarijuanaforMedicalTreatmentInitiativeof1999toamendthedefinitionofanunlicensedestablishmenttoincludeestablishmentsthatsellScheduleIsubstancesorproductsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances,toauthorizeenforcementactionstobetakenagainstallunlicensedestablishmentsbeginningonApril1,2025,regardlessofwhethertheunlicensedestablishmentshaveanapplicationpendingapplicationbeforetheAlcoholicBeverageandCannabisBoard,toauthorizecertainenforcementactionsbeforeApril1,2025,againstanunlicensedestablishmentthathasanapplicationbeforetheAlcoholicBeverageandCannabisBoardiftheunlicensedestablishmentsellsaScheduleIsubstanceoraproductthatcontainsaScheduleIsubstance,toauthorizesummaryclosuresandrelatedenforcementactionstocontinueforaslongastheimminentdangertothepublicpersistsandislikelytorecur,andtoallowtheAlcoholicBeverageandCannabisAdministrationandMetropolitan
PoliceDepartmenttotakerelatedenforcementactionsagainstalicensedmedicalcannabisestablishmentthatengagesincertainunlawfulactivity.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“UnlicensedEstablishmentEnforcementClarificationTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.TheLegalizationofMarijuanaforMedicalTreatmentInitiativeof1999,effective
July27,2010(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)isaddedtoreadasfollow’“(20B-i)“Schedule|substance”meansacontrolledsubstancelistedinsection
204oftheDistrictofColumbiaUniformControlledSubstancesActof1981,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
“(j)Sells,exchangesaspartofacommercialtransaction,or
deliverscannabisand cannabisproducts;
“(ii)OperatesatordeliversfromaspecificlocationintheDistrict;
and
“(iii)IsnotlicensedbyABCA asacultivationcenter,retailer,
internetretailer,manufacturer,courier,ortestinglaboratory;or
“(B)Forpurposesofsection9(c-1),(g),(h),and(j),asoleproprietorship,
partnership,orotherbusinessentitythat:
“(i)Sells,exchangesaspartofacommercialtransaction,or
deliversScheduleIsubstancesor productsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances;and
“(i)Operatesatordeliversfromaspecificlocationinthe
District.”.
(b)Section7b(D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.06b)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(a-l)toreadasfollows:
“(a-1)Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionofthissection,anunlicensedestablishmentmaybesummarilyclosedandpadlockedpursuanttosection9(g)afterApril1,2025.”.(©)Section9(D.C.OfficialCode§7-1671.08)isamendedasfollows:(1)A newsubsection(c-1)isaddedtoreadasfollows:““(c-1)Itshallbeaviolationofthisactforalicensedestablishmentoranunlicensedestablishment(regardlessofwhethertheunlicensedestablishmenthasanapplicationpending
beforetheABC Board)tosell,exchangeaspartofa commercialtransaction,ordeliverScheduleIsubstancesorproductsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances.”.(2)Subsection(b)isamendedbyredesignatingthesecondparagraph(1)as
paragraph(2).(3)Subsection(g)isamendedasfollows:(A)Paragraph(1)isamendedasfollows:
(i)Strikethephrase“thistitle”andinsertthephrase“thisact”initsplace, (ii)Strikethephrase“cannabisproducts”andinsertthephrase“cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,orproductsthatcontainScheduleIsubstances”inits
place. (B)A newparagraph(6)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(6TheABCBoardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,padlockingofthepremises,andseizureofcannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingScheduleIsubstancesuntiltheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureisabated.Eveniftheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureisabated,theABC
Boardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,orderofpadlocking,andseizureofcannabis,cannabis
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
products,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingScheduleJsubstances,iftheABC
Boarddetermines,initsreasonablejudgment,theimminentdangerislikelytorecur.”.
(4)A newsubsection(g-1)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(g-1)(1)TheABC Boardmaysummarilycloseandorderthepadlocking,byABCA or
MPD withoutapriorhearing,ofa licensedestablishment,andABCA orMPD mayseizeall
cannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingSchedule1
substancesfoundatthepremises,if,afteraninspection,ABCA determinesthatthelicensed
establishmentpresentsan imminentdangertothehealthandsafetyofthepublicforthereasons
setforthinsubsection(g)(2)(C)through(G)ofthissection.
“(2)ABCA shallprovidethelicensedestablishment’sownerandtheproperty
ownerwithwrittennoticeofthesummaryclosureandtherighttorequestahearing.
“(3)Theownerofthelicensedestablishmentshallhave5businessdaysafter
serviceofthenoticeofsummaryclosuretorequestahearingwiththeABC Board,whichshall
holdahearingwithin5businessdaysofa timelyrequest.
“(4)TheABC Boardshallissueawrittendecisionwithin5businessdaysafterthe
hearing,orifnohearingisrequested,within10businessdaysaftertheserviceofthenotice.”.
“(5)TheABC Boardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,padlockingofthe
premises,andseizureofcannabis,cannabisproducts,ScheduleIsubstances,andproducts
containingScheduleIsubstancesunti]theimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureis
abated.Eveniftheimminentdangerthattriggeredthesummaryclosureisabated,theABC
Boardmaycontinuethesummaryclosure,orderofpadlocking,andseizureofcannabis,cannabis
products,ScheduleIsubstances,andproductscontainingScheduleI substances,iftheABC
Boarddetermines,initsreasonablejudgment,theimminentdangerislikelytorecur.”.
(5)Subsection(h)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(1)ABCA ortheMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentmaypostsignageatthesiteof
theunlicensedestablishmentorlicensedestablishmentindicatingthatactivitythatviolatesthis
acthasbeenfoundtohaveoccurredattheestablishment.”
(B)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“unlicensed
establishment”and insertingthephrase“unlicensedestablishmentorlicensedestablishment”in
itsplace.
(6)Subsection(i)(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“()(1)AnABCA investigatormaytestcannabisandcannabisproductsfoundata
licensedestablishmentorunlicensedestablishmenttoquantifytheirTHC contentandmaytest
othersubstancesandproductsfoundata licensedestablishmentorunlicensedestablishmentfor
thepresenceandquantityofaScheduleIsubstance.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudget Directoras thefiscalimpact
statementrequiredby section4a of theGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),a30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)),andpublicationintheDistrictofColumbiaRegister.(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
airman’
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

Districtof Columbia
APPROVEDAPRIL 22, 2025

COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

[JITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[x]ACTION FirstReading
(xqVoTEpate March4,2025
[x]VOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[ROLLCALLVOTE-Resut
CouncMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CouncMember[Aye[NayNV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]x Henderson|x Pinto
‘Alen x LewisGeorge|x White x
Bonds x MeDutie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB~Absent NV-Prosent,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
zeete0 aor ys‘SecretarytoeGouel Date
DocketNo,826-0163
[X]TEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XACTION FinalReading,CC
[xX]VOTEDATE ‘April,2025
[xqVoIcevote ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[ROLLCALLVOTE—Resut
CouncMemberAye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CouncMember[Aye[Nay|Nv[AB[RecCounciMember[Aye[Nay[Nv[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]X Henderson| x Pino
‘Alen x LewisGeorge| x White
Bonds x MeDutie x
Felser x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndlcateVote ‘AB~Absent NV-Prosent,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD 4 - 2-27
SecrelarytoeCounc Date