Check out Eric Casey’s great coverage of Massachusetts’ historic new cannabis equity law in Worcester Magazine…
“Massachusetts made history with a nation-leading economic empowerment law when they legalized cannabis with Question 4, and nearly six years later, Legislators today made history with this vital — and overdue — grant and loan fund,” said Equitable Opportunities Now Co-Founder and Question 4 Co-Author Shanel Lindsay in a statement released after the legislation passed the Legislature. “This bill is an important step forward in undoing the harms of prohibition and over-policing and will provide an important path for families of color to create jobs in their community and generate generational wealth.”
There’s still a wildcard in all of this: As of Monday morning, Gov. Baker has yet to sign the bill, and with his line-item veto power, it’s possible that he could block certain aspects of the bill while allowing the rest to become law. With the legislative session now over, lawmakers would have to call a special session and return to the State House to attempt to overturn any vetoes by the governor — an unlikely scenario, unless Baker vetoes major parts of the bill.