Bryan called special session on cannabis-law amendment tied to GERS funding

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said on Dec. 3, 2019, that he had called the 33rd Legislature into special session for Dec. 18 to consider an amendment to the Virgin Islands Medicinal Cannabis Patient Care Act.

Bryan said the amendment was intended to add regulatory controls and generate more tax and fee revenue than the existing law, which he said would not produce enough revenue to establish or regulate the program because the territory's medical cannabis market remained small.

According to the administration, 75% of revenue generated under the amendment would be dedicated to the Government Employees' Retirement System, 5% to senior citizen services and 20% to operating the cannabis regulatory system. Bryan said the measure could generate as much as $20 million annually at its peak.

The proposal called for controlled cultivation, manufacture, production and sale of cannabis products, and for regulated consumption by people age 21 and older. It also recognized cannabis use for cultural and sacramental purposes.

The administration said the amendment would establish requirements for seed-to-sale digital tracking, independent toxin testing, licensing and penalties for cannabis production outside designated areas. It also included air-filtration requirements and rules on advertising and the placement of facilities near houses of worship, schools and cruise ship docks.

The proposal also would automatically expunge the criminal records of people incarcerated for possession of less than one pound of cannabis. Bryan said the amendment would not legalize cannabis for general use and that existing laws on possession and sale would remain in effect.

Bryan also said his administration was considering other options to support GERS, including revenue from online gaming, rum cover-over funds through the Caribbean Basin Agreement and a gasoline tax, as well as a hybrid retirement plan for new employees and possible revisions to current benefits.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-calls-33rd-legislature-into-special-session-to-consider-landmark-amendment-to-cannabis-law/