§ 843. Cannabis Control Board; duties; members

(a) Creation. There is created within the Executive Branch an independent commission named the Cannabis Control Board for the purpose of safely, equitably, and effectively implementing and administering the laws enabling access to adult-use cannabis in Vermont.

(b) Duties. The duties of the Board shall be:

(1) rulemaking in accordance with this chapter, chapters 33-37 of this title, and 3 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 25;

(2) administration of a program for licensed cannabis establishments, which shall include compliance and enforcement;

(3) administration of the Medical Cannabis Registry on and after March 1, 2022;

(4) administration of a program for licensed medical cannabis dispensaries, which shall include compliance and enforcement, on and after March 1, 2022; and

(5) submission of an annual budget to the Governor.

(c) Membership.

(1) The Board shall be composed of a chair and two members appointed by the Governor in accordance with sections 841 and 842 of this title.

(2) All Board members shall serve for a term of three years or until a successor is appointed and shall be eligible for reappointment, provided that no member may serve more than three terms.

(3) A vacancy created before the expiration of a term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. A member appointed to fill a vacancy created before the expiration of a term shall not be deemed to have served a term for the purpose of subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(4) A member may be removed only for cause by the remaining members of the Commission in accordance with the Vermont Administrative Procedure Act. The Board shall adopt rules pursuant to 3 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 25 to define the basis and process for removal.

(d) Conflicts of interest.

(1) No Board member shall, during his or her term or terms on the Board, be an officer of, director of, organizer of, employee of, consultant to, or attorney for any person subject to regulation by the Board.

(2) No Board member shall participate in creating or applying any law, rule, or policy or in making any other determination if the Board member, individually or as a fiduciary, or the Board member’s spouse, parent, or child wherever residing or any other member of the Board member’s family residing in his or her household has an economic interest in the matter before the Board or has any more than a de minimus interest that could be substantially affected by the proceeding.

(3) No Board member shall, during his or her term or terms on the Board, solicit, engage in negotiations for, or otherwise discuss future employment or a future business relationship of any kind with any person subject to supervision or regulation by the Board.

(4) No Board member may appear before the Board or any other State agency on behalf of a person subject to supervision or regulation by the Board for a period of one year following his or her last day as a member of the Cannabis Control Board.

(e) Salaries. The Chair and all members of the Board shall be full-time State employees and shall be exempt from the State classified system. The Chair shall receive compensation equal to two-thirds that of a Superior Court judge, and other members shall receive compensation equal to one-half that of a Superior Court judge.

(f) Executive Director. The Board shall appoint an Executive Director who shall be an attorney with experience in legislative or regulatory matters. The Director shall be a full-time State employee, shall be exempt from the State classified system, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Director shall be responsible for:

(1) supervising and administering the operation and implementation of this chapter and chapters 35 and 37 of this title and the rules adopted by the Board as directed by the Board;

(2) assisting the Board in its duties and administering the licensing requirements of this chapter and chapters 35 and 37 of this title;

(3) acting as Secretary to the Board, but as a nonvoting member of the Board;

(4) employing such staff as may be required to carry out the functions of the Board; and

(5) preparing an annual budget for submission to the Board.

(g) Consultant. The Board is authorized to hire a consultant as needed to assist with its duties under this section.

(h) [Repealed.] (Added 2019, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 2, 6e(1), eff. Oct. 7, 2020; amended 2021, No. 62, § 2, eff. June 7, 2021; 2023, No. 65, § 1, eff. June 14, 2023.)