Please take a few minutes right now to ask your State Representative to invest in creating equitable economic opportunity for communities harmed by the war on drugs. Here’s how:
Tag: Massachusetts House
Yesterday, the Legislature passed, and Gov. Maura Healey signed, the closeout FY23 supplemental budget that will unlock millions of dollars in grants and loans to cannabis equity businesses. This is an important step toward creating economic opportunity for communities harmed by the war on drugs, as envisioned by voters when they passed Question 4.
“Massachusetts made history with a nation-leading economic empowerment law when they legalized cannabis with Question 4, and nearly six years later, Gov. Baker and the Massachusetts Legislature have made history with this vital — and overdue — grant and loan fund,” said Equitable Opportunities Now Co-Founder and Question 4 Co-Author Shanel Lindsay.
While the House funded the cannabis equity grant and loan fund with 20% of excess cannabis revenue, the Senate only included 10% in their bill – putting tens of millions of dollars that could support Black and brown entrepreneurs at risk!
We need your help now to make sure this vital program is fully funded by emailing and calling your state senator and representative before it’s too late!
An all-white Conference Committee will negotiate key differences between House and Senate cannabis reform bills, including whether the social equity trust fund should receive the full 20% of cannabis revenues envisioned by the law and included in the House, or just the 10% allocated by the Senate.
Please take a moment right now to urge your state legislators to ask the Conference Committee to strengthen the equity provisions of the final omnibus cannabis reform bill! Here’s how to take action:
We need your support in contacting YOUR Massachusetts State House Representative to ask them to support the Cannabis Omnibus Bill, including Amendment 1 to H4791 that increases the % allocated to the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund from the current proposed 15% to 20%.
Voters passed Question 4 with the promise of equitable pathways into the cannabis industry and community reinvestment into the communities most harmed by the war on drugs. Nearly six years […]
Your voice can make this happen! Thanks to all of your hard work in bringing these issues to the forefront, Representative Dave Rogers, Representative Chynah Tyler, and Representative Carol Doherty […]