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Cultivation and Delivery Licenses / Cannabis Ordinance / Compliant Operations

Council File 26-0301

Introduced
2026-03-03
Last changed
2026-05-05
Status
open
Expires
2028-05-04
Committee
Government Operations Committee
Mover
IMELDA PADILLA
Second
CURREN D. PRICE

Brief

Councilmember Imelda Padilla introduced a motion, seconded by Curren D. Price Jr., to address cultivation and delivery licenses under Los Angeles's cannabis ordinance. The motion directs regulatory action on compliant cannabis operations. Government Operations Committee approved the item on March 27, 2026. Council adopted it on April 17, 2026, by an 11-0-4 vote. A Department of Cannabis Regulation document was subsequently referred back to Government Operations Committee on May 5, 2026, and remains pending there.

Full summary

Councilmember Imelda Padilla introduced this motion on March 3, 2026, to modernize Los Angeles's cannabis ordinance and open cultivation and delivery licenses to the general public. The city's delivery provisions had not been updated since 2017 and cultivation rules since 2018, leaving local regulations out of step with state license classifications that California has since revised. Since January 1, 2026, cultivation and delivery licenses have technically been open to all applicants, but the city has not yet established an application window for the general public, operating instead under a Social Equity Applicant-only framework. The motion directed the Department of Cannabis Regulation to report on an implementation process and asked the City Attorney to draft a conforming ordinance. The Department of Cannabis Regulation responded with a April 30, 2026 report recommending specific amendments to Article 4, Chapter X of the Los Angeles Municipal Code. The key change replaces existing language that restricted cultivation and delivery license types to Social Equity Applicants with a new first-come, first-served system: licenses for Types 1A, 1C, 2A, 3A, 5A, and 7 would be issued in each community plan area until "Undue Concentration" is reached, and applications for uncapped license types would be accepted on a rolling basis indefinitely. The report also recommends deleting subsections (e) and (f) from Municipal Code Section 104.06.01 to clarify that non-retail applicants must obtain annual licenses under the standard Section 104.06 process. A red-lined draft ordinance reflecting these changes was submitted for City Attorney review. The motion's proponents argue that opening these license categories supports legal market growth, increases cannabis tax revenue, and captures sales that might otherwise flow to the illicit market. Industry data cited in the motion indicates roughly 25% of all cannabis sales now occur online, making a functional delivery licensing framework increasingly important. For cultivation, the argument is that licensed investment in Los Angeles expands the legal supply chain and strengthens regulatory oversight. The Council adopted the underlying motion 11-0-4 on April 17, 2026. The Department's subsequent report and proposed ordinance were referred to the Government Operations Committee on May 5, 2026, where the matter now sits pending committee action. The City Attorney has not yet finalized the draft ordinance. The file remains open and active, with a deadline of May 2028.

Activity (8)

  • 2026-05-05 Department of Cannabis Regulation document(s) referred to Government Operations Committee.
  • 2026-05-04 Document submitted by Department of Cannabis Regulation, dated April 30, 2026.
  • 2026-04-21 Council action final.
  • 2026-04-17 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
  • 2026-04-14 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 17, 2026.
  • 2026-03-27 Government Operations Committee approved item(s) .
  • 2026-03-18 Government Operations Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 27, 2026.
  • 2026-03-03 Motion referred to Government Operations Committee.

Documents (9)

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