SB 540 California Senate · 2023-2024 Regular Session

Cannabis and cannabis products: health warnings.

Summary
The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) , an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes a person who obtains a state license under AUMA to engage in commercial adult-use cannabis activity pursuant to that license and applicable local ordinances. The Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities, including retail commercial cannabis activity, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Cannabis Control. Existing law requires cannabis and cannabis product labels and inserts to include specified warnings about the safety of cannabis use. This bill would, on or before July 1, 2025, require the department to reevaluate regulations for the above-described warnings to determine whether any additional warnings are necessary to reflect evolving science, and would require the department to adopt regulations for cannabis and cannabis product labels or inserts reflecting the evolving science regarding the risks that cannabis use may cause consumers. The bill would, on or before January 1, 2030, and every 5 years thereafter, require the department to reevaluate the adopted regulations to determine whether the requirements reflect the state of the evolving science on cannabis health effects and on effective communication of health warnings. The bill would authorize cannabis or cannabis products manufactured before January 1, 2030, and every proceeding year new labeling requirements are imposed to be sold for up to 12 months or for a shorter period of time as prescribed by the department. The bill would, on or before January 1, 2025, require the department, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, to create and post for public use a single-page flat or folded brochure that includes prescribed information, including, among other things, implications and risks associated with cannabis use, as specified. The bill would, on and after March 1, 2025, require a retailer or microbusiness selling, or person delivering, cannabis or cannabis products to a consumer to prominently display the brochure, including printed copies, at the point of sale of final delivery in person or online, and offer each new consumer a copy of the brochure at the time of first purchase or delivery. The bill would, on or before January 1, 2030, and every 5 years thereafter, require the department to either recertify the information in the brochure or provide updated language, as specified.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Sep 2023
Senate Passage
May 2023
Assembly Passage
Sep 2023
Signed into Law
Oct 2023
Introduced Feb 14, 2023 Signed Oct 8, 2023
Floor votes · Senate May 25, 2023 · Assembly Sep 6, 2023

How they voted

40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
May 25, 2023
D Democratic31
31 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican9
9 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
26
Key actions
10
Committee
5
Amendments
5
Oct 8, 2023
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Sep 7, 2023
Upper · Passed
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2470.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
upper
Sep 6, 2023
Introduced
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
upper
Sep 6, 2023
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2960.) Ordered to the Senate.
lower
Sep 1, 2023
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (September 1).
lower
Jun 28, 2023
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Jun 27, 2023
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (June 27).
lower
Jun 19, 2023
Lower · Passed
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
lower
Jun 8, 2023
Committee
Referred to Com. on B. & P.
lower
May 25, 2023
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 1301.) Ordered to the Assembly.
upper
May 18, 2023
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1174.) (May 18).
upper
Apr 11, 2023
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 636.) (April 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Feb 22, 2023
Committee
Referred to Com. on B., P. & E. D.
upper
Feb 14, 2023
Introduced
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of John Laird
John Laird
DDemocratic
CA
17