The Legislature passed a bill from a San Francisco state lawmaker to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes in California and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Assembly Bill 374, authored by state Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, passed the Assembly in a 66-9 vote on Monday after previously being approved by the state Senate.
The legislation would allow local jurisdictions to allow cannabis vendors to prepare and serve non-cannabis food and beverages and sell tickets to live performances.
Haney’s office said in a statement that the bill “will allow struggling cannabis businesses to diversify away from the marijuana-only ‘dispensary’ model and bring much-needed tourist dollars to urban centers. ”
Haney said: “To be clear, we are not saying that coffee shops should be allowed to sell cannabis. We are saying that cannabis shops should be allowed to sell coffee. It should not be illegal for an existing cannabis business to leave the business of selling only marijuana and have the opportunity to grow and create jobs by offering coffee or live jazz.
If Newsom signs it, the bill would go into effect in early 2024, when local governments can make regulations for cafes. According to Haney’s office, West Hollywood has already passed legislation to create such a licensing system, while San Francisco lawmakers are currently working on a similar system.
