In our March 2023 newsletter, we wrote about the introduction of Assembly Bill 374, which gives local jurisdictions the authority to allow retailers to sell non-cannabis infused food, non-alcoholic beverages, host live performances, and more.
Since its introduction, the cannabis café bill passed the Assembly in a 64-9 vote, and is now awaiting third reading in the Senate. After the bill has been read for a third time in the State Senate, it will head to the Senate floor for a vote for all 40 State senators. If it passes, it will head to Governor Newsom’s desk for him to sign into law. Since the bill seems to have bipartisan support, we predict that AB 374 has a real chance at becoming law before the end of this legislative session. Contact us today if you want to discuss how AB 374 will work and whether it is a viable future business venture for you. Our original article is copied below:
California Assemblymember Matt Haney recently introduced a state bill to allow cannabis retailers to sell food and drinks. Under Assembly Bill 374, local jurisdictions would have the authority to allow retailers and microbusinesses to conduct business activities other than smoking, vaping, and ingesting cannabis onsite. This includes, but is not limited to, the sale of non-cannabis-infused food and the sale of non-alcoholic beverages. The bill would also allow for live performances, musical or otherwise, to take place at cannabis retailers.
A.B. 374 is an attempt to help retailers find new ways to expand. The sale of food and beverage items, as well as live performance tickets, would allow many retailers to tap into new revenue streams. The bill was introduced on February 1, 2023. It was referred to the Business and Professions Committee on February 17, 2023. We will continue to monitor the bill’s progress and provide our clients with updates. Contact our attorneys for more information.
