Today on the show MCBA Board President Kaliko Castille covers an article from Missouri Independent: Missouri regulators say they’re close to naming marijuana chief equity officer

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/13/missouri-regulators-say-theyre-close-to-naming-marijuana-chief-equity-officer/

Here's the background: 

Missouri's Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) is set to appoint a chief equity officer for its marijuana program by February 6th, a position meant to ensure the social and economic equity requirements of Missouri’s new marijuana law are met. 

The chief equity officer will be responsible for leading communication about the program, conducting reviews for microbusinesses, and promoting educational programming around the licensing process and available support and resources for individuals applying for microbusiness licenses. 

The officer will also establish targeted technical assistance programming to communities impacted by cannabis prohibition and compile an annual report on compliance.

On today's show we cover a headline from Marijuana Moment: Virginia GOP Lawmaker Files Marijuana Sales Bill For 2023, Eliciting Mixed Advocacy Reactions

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-gop-lawmaker-files-marijuana-sales-bill-for-2023-eliciting-mixed-advocacy-reactions/

Here's the breakdown: 

A Republican Virginia lawmaker has filed a bill to create a regulated marijuana market in the Commonwealth, but it’s drawing mixed reactions from advocates, some of whom view it as a giveaway to large, multi-state operators at the expense of equity for people harmed by the war on drugs. 

The bill proposes to remove language that calls on regulators to develop standards on prioritizing social equity applicants. 

Instead, regulators would need to consider ways to prioritize any applicant who intends to operate in a historically economically disadvantaged area, rather than those who are from such an area. 

The group Marijuana Justice Virginia said the proposed legislation “erases any commitment to addressing the harm of marijuana prohibition that continues to specifically target Black Virginians.”

Today Precious covers a headline from Marijuana Moment: Federal Sentencing Commission Proposes New Marijuana Guidelines For Judges That Would Treat Past Convictions More Leniently

The US Sentencing Commission (USSC) has proposed an amendment to update sentencing guidelines to suggest that judges treat prior marijuana possession offenses more leniently. As it stands, federal judges are directed to take into account prior convictions, including state-level cannabis offenses, as aggravating factors when making sentencing decisions. The new USSC proposal doesn’t seek to remove marijuana convictions as a criminal history factor entirely, but it would revise commentary within the guidelines to “include sentences resulting from possession of marihuana offenses as an example of when a downward departure from the defendant’s criminal history may be warranted.” The commission is seeking public comment on the proposed revision, specifically inviting input on “whether there is an alternative approach it should consider for addressing sentences for possession of marihuana.”