Governor Kathy Hochul kicked things off last Wednesday, appointing former Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright to chair the Cannabis Control Board (“CCB”) and former Drug Policy Alliance staffer, Chris Alexander, to be executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”). By nominating these two leaders, Governor Hochul put the rollout of New York’s cannabis legalization back on track, as the program had languished in the final months of former Governor Cuomo’s scandal-plagued governorship. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie continued the momentum this past Wednesday, announcing his appointment of Adam W. Perry to the CCB, and yesterday Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins followed suit, tapping former State Senator Jen Metzger, an Ulster County Democrat, as the third CCB member to be selected.
Governor Hochul’s two appointments during an “Extraordinary Session” of the New York State Legislature signal her commitment to moving forward with the State’s cannabis legalization, and her choices reinforce New York’s focus on prioritizing racial and economic justice. Ms. Wright and Mr. Alexander, both black, have worked hard in advocating for equity in the new cannabis market.
Ms. Wright, an attorney, represented New York State’s 56th District in Brooklyn from 2017 to 2020 and was chair of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. She has also practiced as a public defender at Brooklyn Law Services. As Chairwoman of the CCB, Ms. Wright will lead the five-member board as they draft the State’s cannabis regulations, develop the cannabis license application process, and otherwise implement the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”), which Governor Cuomo signed into law in March.
Mr. Alexander was previously the policy coordinator at Drug Policy Alliance, an organization dedicated to reversing the harmful effects of the “War on Drugs” that have disproportionately affected communities of color, and he was later an associate counsel to the New York Senate, where he led the drafting of the MRTA to ensure it included a strong social and economic equity program. As Executive Director of OCM, Mr. Alexander will oversee the implementation of the State’s cannabis regulatory scheme and administer the program going forward.
As for Mr. Perry, he is an attorney who focuses on employment litigation, with broad experience representing municipal governments and agencies, and he is very involved in the Buffalo community, where he serves as chair of the Citizen Planning Council. His local government perspective will be particularly useful in developing the State’s cannabis program, where the state and local governments must work together. Mr. Perry received a ringing endorsement from Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, the lead sponsor of the MRTA, stating that Mr. Perry will be committed to upholding the principles of fairness and justice in helping to shape the new industry.
Ms. Metzger is another long-time public servant, serving as town board member in Rosendale and one term as a state senator representing the Hudson Valley’s 42nd Senate District, during which she was the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Following the announcement of her pick, Ms. Metzger released a statement declaring that she will work hard to ensure the New York cannabis market is environmentally sustainable, equitable, and accountable. Many believe that she will be a strong advocate for small farms and rural areas.
Governor Hochul must still appoint two more members to the CCB before it is officially seated and can begin the hard task of drafting rules and regulations. Labor Day is behind us, and there is much work to be done before the adult-use cannabis market opens in the Empire State, but at least now we have four capable leaders to help get us there.
https://nyassembly.gov/Press/?sec=story&story=99037
https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/Senate-Leader-makes-pick-for-Cannabis-Control-16446173.php
