Photo | Courtesy of State House News Service
Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano
March 7, 2025
Mariano eyes cannabis agency overhaul amid calls for receivership
Photo | Edd Cote
The Cannabis Control Commission is based in Worcester's Union Station.
By Alison Kuznitz | State House News Service
The House may tackle legislation restructuring the embattled Cannabis Control Commission before focusing on the fiscal 2026 budget, Speaker Ron Mariano said Thursday.
"There are a couple of things that I have -- there's something that needs attention -- and that's the cannabis commission," Mariano told the News Service when asked Thursday whether the branch plans to take up any major bills before the budget, which usually surfaces in mid-April.
"And straightening that out and making sure that the transfers and the changes are made when people's terms expire, (that) there's a process that makes some sense," the Quincy Democrat continued without offering specific details. "Right now, I don't think we have that."
In the face of criticism of the CCC and with an eye toward the new term, the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held hearings last fall seeking input on future legislation to restructure the CCC, update commission operations and address industry workers' rights.
In a July 30 memo to Mariano, co-chair Rep. Daniel Donahue said the committee was reviewing changes to the CCC's enabling statute, particularly contradictory language about the roles of the CCC chair and the agency's executive director. Leadership turmoil has repeatedly stymied the agency's work, including after Treasurer Deb Goldberg fired Chair Shannon O'Brien.
"The committee has had a couple of hearings at the end of the session, when a lot of the acrimony has surfaced, so I think it's a small step for them to pick it up and see if we can get it done," Mariano said.
Mariano added pre-budget action on the bill "depends on how much and how good the product is that they have down there that they put together before the end of the session."
"So I haven't looked at it. We will when we get organized," he continued.
Lawmakers have previously called the CCC a "trainwreck" but have rebuffed Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro's calls for the Legislature to appoint a receiver to manage the "rudderless agency."
With top Democrats focused on transparency and work flow issues this session, Mariano said he also remains focused on rules reform ahead of the budget and making sure "everyone understands" the planned rules.
Senate President Karen Spilka did not pinpoint any bills her branch might address before the budget. The Ashland Democrat punted potential action to joint committees, which were just appointed last week.
"Bills generally go through the committee process, so I'm hoping that committees take up some of the particularly priority bills quickly, and send them to the House floor and the Senate bills to the Senate floor, to the Senate, so that we can take them up expeditiously," Spilka told the News Service. "Some of it will depend on how quickly we can get the bills and what issues arise."
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