ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT, REFORM AND FEDERAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5291

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 20, 2025

      The Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5291.

      This bill requires municipalities to establish a timeline for application review and requires municipalities to notify Cannabis Regulatory Commission when allowing cannabis businesses to operate in a municipality.

      Pursuant to the bill, municipalities that impose a separate local licensing or endorsement are required to establish a timeline for the approval or denial of an application to operate any one or more classes of cannabis establishments permitted by local ordinances.  If the municipality adopts such a regulation or ordinance, the municipality is required to establish a reasonable timeline for approving or denying an application, not to exceed a 90-day period.

      Further, this bill requires municipalities to notify the commission when permitting or prohibiting the operation of any one or more classes of cannabis establishment, or cannabis distributors, or cannabis delivery services.  The notification is required to specify the class of cannabis establishment being permitted or being prohibited to operate in the municipality and any limitation on the number of any class of cannabis establishments permitted by the municipality.