Legislative Action Alert – Part 2:

 

Help fight predatory and destructive businesses practices in our cannabis industry.

Submit testimony by COB Monday!

 Hey Everyone,

I know I just emailed you yesterday, but time is of the essence right now and we need you to act by COB Monday! 

Pleas take a moment to review the email below and then add your voice to this critical effort to save the good reputation of Oregon’s Cannabis Industry.

Oregon’s cannabis industry, its good reputation, and political relationships have been severely damaged by the onslaught of negative news stories relating to La Mota

As an industry it is critical that we come together, take a stand, and tell the true story about who and what this industry is all about. This is essential for passing legislation this year, and more importantly, to our ability to pass pro-cannabis legislation and rule changes in the future.

That is why the CIAO Board sent a clear letter to every Oregon legislator last Thursday excoriating the business practices used by La Mota and asking for the legislators to take action against those types of practices.

Now we need your voice to help pass HB 2515 and save the reputation of Oregon’s cannabis industry.  This bill will help hold those predatory cannabis businesses accountable and limit their ability to profit off the backs of other business’s suffering.

All of us have to step-up and remind our elected officials of all the good, hard working, and dedicated folks that make this industry what it is.

How You Can Help

We need everyone to reach out to your state senator and representative and ask them to support the passage of HB 2515 before COB Monday.

Below are instructions on how to identify your legislators, a template for testimony, and a description of what HB 2515 will do FYI. We need as many emails sent as possible in the next 48 hours as we have to make progress quickly.

Find My Legislators: Use this link – Find My Legislators – and enter the address of your home and/or business and select the emails of your state senator(s) and state representative(s). Please Note –  You are a constituent of the legislators that represent your home and your business.

Importantly, please CC me when you email your legislators so we can identify legislators we need to focus on – jesse@oregoncannabisretailers.com.

Message Template: Please note, you have to edit the first paragraph with your own information. You can download the template here – HB 2515 Messaging Template. 

Subject: Please Support HB 2515

Dear (Title) (Name), 

As your constituent and a member of our state’s regulated cannabis industry, I am writing to ask for your help. My name is [___________] and I (own/work at) [__________] which employees [____] people.

The recent revelations about La Mota’s business dealings show the urgent need for change to Oregon’s cannabis regulatory system. We must not allow companies like La Mota to continue exploiting that system at the expense of hard working, honest Oregonians. I urge you to support and pass HB2515, which is being amended to ensure cannabis companies in Oregon pay their bills, pay their taxes, and cannot continue to expand through nefarious practices. 

If you take no action, nothing will change. Companies like La Mota will continue their exploitation of our state’s cannabis system. This is about more than cannabis, and more than La Mota. I ask that you send a strong message that this is Oregon, and that kind of activity has no place here, in our home.

Sincerely,

[_Name_]

HB 2515 Details: DO NOT INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR EMAIL!

HB 2515, once amended, will do the following: 

  1. It will tie new licenses to population by preventing the OLCC from accepting new applications for licenses until we achieve more market balance. Specifically, no new applications can be accepted until there is only one producer and one retailer for every 7500 adult residents and one wholesaler and one processor for every 12,500 adult residents.  All existing licenses and licensee rights and privileges will be grandfathered in and will not be affected.
  2. Starting in 2024, it will direct the OLCC to verify that retailers are current or in good standing with the DOR for cannabis sales taxes to be able to renew the license. for the purposes of license renewal. All DOR-approved payment plans entered into prior to 2024 will be exempted from this requirement.  This provision will be limited to cannabis sales taxes only. 
  3. It will also direct the OLCC to investigate ways too help reign in unfair business practices, such as refusal to make good faith efforts to pay vendors.

Finally: Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, fears, concerns, or ideas – Jesse Bontecou, Jesse@oregoncannabisretailers.com)

 

Together we make a difference!

The Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association (ORCA) is becoming:

The Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon (CIAO)!

Be aware: In the coming weeks, we’ll be shifting more and more of our operations under the new CIA banner as we complete the merger process with the other leading cannabis trade organizations here in Oregon.

ORCA Memberships carry over automatically.

CIA of Oregon is a non-profit trade association of over 500 member businesses all across the state. We’re still fighting for smarter regulations

and regulatory fairness to help create a thriving cannabis industry for all.

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We really appreciate all of you who make it a point to stay engaged with the work we’re doing – and we’re confident that your attention will pay dividends!

It’s important – now more so than ever before – that we unify as a community, and speak with one voice to help shape the future of our industry.

And if you’re not currently a member, but you want to support the work we’re doing to make the industry more successful for all – then email me to JOIN NOW!

And please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about what’s happening on the policy front.

Respectfully

Jesse Bontecou

Executive Director, CIAO (Formerly ORCA)

Jesse@oregoncannabisretailers.com

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