The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) on Tuesday filed an appeal challenging the preliminary injunction imposed by a judge last week that blocks new retail cannabis licenses as a lawsuit against the state’s cannabis licensing residency rules makes its way through court, the Rhode Island Current reports. The CCC’s chief legal counsel, Mariana Ormonde, told the Current that the agency has “been litigating these cases for years” and “actually got the cases dismissed at one point.”
“Now they’re back,” she said.
Commissioner Robert Jacquard told the Current that the CCC discusses “litigation cases in every executive session” of the agency’s regular monthly meeting.
“This is not as if we have not talked about them in the last week. Due to the opinion that came out last week, we thought it was prudent that we meet as soon as possible to talk about this again because we know how important it is to so many people.” — Jacquard to the Current
The order from Judge Melissa DuBose blocks the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) from holding a lottery to award 20 new cannabis licenses or even reviewing applications.
Two bills have been introduced in the statehouse to remove the residency requirements and have been heard by legislative committees.
