New York’s Cannabis Control Board: And We Are Set!

On September 22, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the final two (2) board members to the Cannabis Control Board (CCB). As per the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), Governor Hochul was responsible for appointing two (2) board members, neither of whom need to be approved by the legislature. We now officially have the completed CCM.

Below is what we know about the appointees, Reuben McDaniel III and Jessica Garcia, from Governor Hochul’s press release.

Reuben McDaniel III

Mr. McDaniel was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). Mr. McDaniel was responsible for the overall management of DASNY’s administration and operations. Mr. McDaniel joined DASNY in 2019 as an accomplished investment banker with more than 30 years of experience in financial services, including public finance, personal wealth management, corporate finance and private equity. During his career in public finance, he participated in more than $75 billion in tax-exempt bond issuances throughout the country.

Mr. McDaniel also founded an investment advisory firm, where he managed more than $50 million in investment portfolios and business assets for a variety of professionals. Prior to, Mr. McDaniel served as Chair of the Atlanta Board of Education for Public Schools, where he led a diverse group of constituents and served as a voice for the community of parents. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jessica Garcia

Ms. Garcia was Assistant to the President of the Retail, Wholesale Department Store Union, UFCW, a national labor union representing workers along the food supply chain, as well as workers in non-food retail and healthcare. She previously served as Deputy Political Director for the RWDSU, where she worked to advance the union’s legislative and political agendas. Prior, she served as Director of Programs and Organizing at New Immigrant Community Empowerment and spent her early career advocating for fair funding for public schools in New York City.

She currently serves as chair of board of the New York Committee for Safety and Health and the Advocacy Institute, vice-president of the Rural & Migrant Ministry board of directors, and member of the board of the Costa Rican-based organization, Vivir El Sueno. Originally from Honduras, Jessica is a graduate of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and Harvard University.

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The new CCB fits the compositional requirements set forth in the MRTA: geographically and demographically representative of the state and communities historically affected by the war on drugs. As friend of the blog Michael Dundas so eloquently put it, the new CCB is “well balanced in their experience and complimentary skill sets.

Now that we have the fully formed CCB, with Christopher Alexander in place as the Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management, we wait for the rules and regulations for New York’s cannabis industry. Stay tuned!

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