San Francisco, California is considering legislation to create a Cannabis Department to help the city handle the implementation of the adult-use cannabis regime, the San Francisco Examiner reports. The proposal, introduced by Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, would create the department, and Mayor Ed Lee would appoint the director and all seven members of the Cannabis Commission. The appointees would need to be approved by the Board of Supervisors; rejection would require a two-thirds vote.
City officials believe the department is necessary in order to handle the expected influx of cannabis industry operator applications. The commission would be tasked with approving or denying commercial permits and enforcing the codes and guidelines once they are developed.
Supervisor Hillary Ronen said that while she supports the creation of the department, she would prefer that the appointments are split between the governor and the board – which would require a voter-approved referendum.
Sheehy’s legislative aide Bill Barnes indicated that the plan uses money derived from industry fees to operate rather than using monies from the general fund. The commission would not be responsible for the medical cannabis industry, which would still be subject to Public Health Department and Planning Commission oversight.
The creation of the department was recommended by the State Cannabis Legalization Task Force.