2025 -- S 0156

========

LC000536

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

____________

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND EVALUATE THE

POTENTIAL NECESSITY FOR CHANGES IN THE GENERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

     Introduced By: Senators Felag, Raptakis, Ciccone, Tikoian, and Britto

     Date Introduced: January 31, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     WHEREAS, Title 3 of the Rhode Island General Laws establishes the regulatory

guidelines for the authentic, safe and reliable manufacture, distribution and retail sales of

alcoholic beverages; and

     WHEREAS, Chapter 28.11 of Title 21 of the Rhode Island General Laws legalized

recreational cannabis and established similar regulatory guidelines to those established for

alcoholic beverages; and

     WHEREAS, Concerns about safety, authenticity and labor protection have been brought

forward through multiple legislative proposals; and

     WHEREAS, These concerns have raised a genuine need to update the regulatory

structures for both alcoholic beverages and recreational cannabis in order to account for current

and future industry conditions to provide for the best interest of all stakeholders; now, therefore

be it

     RESOLVED, That a special joint legislative commission be and the same is hereby

created consisting of thirteen (13) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House,

not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker; three (3) of

whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be

appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be the Director of Business

Regulation, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Liquor Operators

Collaborative, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Alcoholic Beverage

Wholesale Dealers of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode

Island Brewers Guild, or designee; one of whom shall be the Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters

Local 251, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of United Food and Commercial

Workers Local 328, or designee; and one of whom shall be the Chair of the Cannabis Advisory

Board, or designee.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study

commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing

authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to evaluate and determine what changes, if any,

are needed to be made in Title 3 and Chapter 28.11 of Title 21 of the Rhode Island General Laws.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet and

organize at the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate and shall select

co-chairpersons from among the legislators.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the General

Assembly on or before January 7, 2026, and said commission shall expire on March 7, 2026.

========

LC000536

========

LC000536 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND EVALUATE THE

POTENTIAL NECESSITY FOR CHANGES IN THE GENERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

***

     This resolution would create a thirteen (13) member special joint legislative commission

whose purpose it would be to evaluate and determine what changes, if any, are needed to be made

in Title 3 and Chapter 28.11 of Title 21 of the Rhode Island General Laws, and who would report

back to the General Assembly on or before January 7, 2026, and said commission would expire

on March 7, 2026.

========

LC000536

========

LC000536 - Page 3 of 3