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Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 6
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10
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To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Legalization of 14
Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1999 to amend the definition of an 15
unlicensed establishment to include establishments that sell Schedule I substances or 16
products that contain Schedule I substances, to extend the expiration dates of conditional 17
licenses for medical cannabis cultivation centers, retailers, internet retailers, 18
manufacturers, couriers, and testing laboratories for an additional year, to clarify that a 19
conditional license applicant may submit a zoning certificate instead of a certificate of 20
occupancy with their permanent license application, to clarify the distance requirements 21
between retailers and internet retailers and schools and recreation centers, to authorize 22
enforcement actions to be taken against all unlicensed establishments beginning on April 23
1, 2025, regardless of whether the unlicensed establishments have an application pending 24
application before the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board, to authorize certain 25
enforcement actions before April 1, 2025, against an unlicensed establishment that has an 26
application before the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board if the unlicensed 27
establishment sells a Schedule I substance or a product that contains a Schedule I 28
substance, to authorize summary closures and related enforcement actions to continue for 29
as long as the imminent danger to the public persists and is likely to recur, and to allow 30
the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration and Metropolitan Police 31
Department to take related enforcement actions against a licensed medical cannabis 32
establishment that engages in certain unlawful activity. 33
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RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
resolution may be cited as the “Medical Cannabis Licensing and Unlicensed Establishment 36
Enforcement Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026”. 37
Sec. 2. (a) On October 7, 2025, the Council approved the Medical Cannabis Conditional 38
Licensure Extension Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-163), followed by 39
approval of the Medical Cannabis Conditional Licensure Extension Temporary Amendment Act 40
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of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-71; 73 DCR 604) on January 21, 2026. These laws extended the 41
expiration dates for conditional licenses for medical cannabis cultivation centers, retailers, 42
internet retailers, manufacturers, couriers, and testing laboratories for an additional year. Act 26-43
163 expired on January 21, 2026, and Law 26-71 will expire on August 13, 2026, while the 44
Council is on recess. 45
(b) On July 1, 2025, the Council approved the Streatery Program Endorsement Extension 46
and Medical Cannabis Clarification Emergency Amendment of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-117), 47
followed by approval of the Streatery Program Endorsement Extension and Medical Cannabis 48
Clarification Temporary Amendment of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-58; 72 DCR 13999) on October 7, 49
2025. These laws extended certain licensees’ ability to serve alcohol in outdoor public and 50
private spaces through December 2025 and clarified the distance from certain locations that 51
cannabis retailers and internet retailers must maintain. D.C. Act 26-117 expired on October 19, 52
2025 and D.C. Law 26-58 will expire on July 24, 2026, while the Council is on recess. 53
(c) On March 4, 2025, the Council approved the Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement 54
Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-38) followed by approval of the 55
Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. 56
Law 26-10; 72 DCR 6764) on April 1, 2025. These acts gave greater enforcement authority to 57
the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration over licensed and unlicensed establishments. 58
D.C. Act 26-38 expired on June 19, 2025, and D.C. Law 26-10 expired on January 21, 2026. 59
(c) The expiration of the foregoing measures necessitates a second round of emergency 60
legislation. The Committee of the Whole intends to move permanent legislation in the fall that 61
will include these provisions. 62
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Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances 63
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the 64
Medical Cannabis Licensing Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 be adopted after 65
a single reading. 66
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 67