The Delaware House of Representatives has approved a bill to launch recreational marijuana sales early through existing medical cannabis dispensaries, while adopting amendments that appear partially responsive to equity-related concerns from advocates.
About a month after the legislation from Rep. Ed Osienski (D) moved through committee, the full chamber passed the amended measure in a 29-11 vote on Tuesday, sending it to the Senate.
The bill would let current medical providers convert to dual licensees that could serve both patients and adult-use consumers months earlier than the current sales timeline.
HB 408 would create a “conversion license” category, laying out requirements for medical cannabis businesses to apply and also stipulating that the applicants who are denied due to local bans can apply for general licenses for a new location, which must be approved as long as they meet the requirements.
Prospective conversion licensees would have to demonstrate that they can continue to meet demand among medical patients, show plans to support the state’s social equity program and enter into a labor peace agreement with a “legitimate” union, for example.
As the bill advanced, some advocates raised concerns about the prospects of giving the state’s few existing medical cannabis dispensaries such