We need your help to pass HB 2515 and defend our industries reputation & future.
Today, Oregon’s Cannabis Industry finds itself in a weakened and precarious situation due to the onslaught of negative news stories relating to La Mota that revealed their harmful businesses practices and political entanglements that have lead to the resignation of the Secretary of State.
Simply, La Mota’s actions have severely damaged the good reputation of Oregon’s Cannabis industry with elected officials and legislators. A reputation that we all have spent years developing. That is why the CIAO Board sent a clear letter to all Oregon legislators last Thursday excoriating the business practices used by La Mota and asking for the legislators to take action against those types of practices.
Now we need your voice to help save the reputation of Oregon’s cannabis industry and to help us pass HB 2515, which will help hold those predatory cannabis businesses accountable and limit their ability to profit off the backs of other businesses suffering.
All of us have to step-up and remind our elected officials of all the good, hard working, and dedicated folks that make this industry what it is. Who are simply trying to run their businesses and do right for their families, employees and communities.
How You Can Help
We need everyone to reach out to your state senator and representative and ask them to support the passage of HB 2515 as soon as you can.
Below are instructions on how to identify your legislators, a template for testimony, and a description of what HB 2515 will do FYI. We need as many emails sent as possible in the next 48 hours as we have to make progress quickly.
Find My Legislators: Use this link – Find My Legislators – and enter the address of your home and/or business and select the emails of your state senator(s) and state representative(s). Please Note – You are a constituent of the legislators that represent your home and your business.
Message Template: Please note, you have to edit the first paragraph with your own information. You can download the template here – HB 2515 Messaging Template.
Subject: Please Support HB 2515
Dear (Title) (Name),
As your constituent and a member of our state’s regulated cannabis industry, I am writing to ask for your help. My name is [___________] and I (own/work at) [__________] which employees [____] people.
The recent revelations about La Mota’s business dealings show the urgent need for change to Oregon’s cannabis regulatory system. We must not allow companies like La Mota to continue exploiting that system at the expense of hard working, honest Oregonians. I urge you to support and pass HB2515, which is being amended to ensure cannabis companies in Oregon pay their bills, pay their taxes, and cannot continue to expand through nefarious practices.
If you take no action, nothing will change. Companies like La Mota will continue their exploitation of our state’s cannabis system. This is about more than cannabis, and more than La Mota. I ask that you send a strong message that this is Oregon, and that kind of activity has no place here, in our home.
Sincerely,
[_Name_]
HB 2515 Details: DO NOT INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR EMAIL!
HB 2515, once amended, will do the following:
- It will tie new licenses to population by preventing the OLCC from accepting new applications for licenses until we achieve more market balance. Specifically, no new applications can be accepted until there is only one producer and one retailer for every 7500 adult residents and one wholesaler and one processor for every 12,500 adult residents. All existing licenses and licensee rights and privileges will be grandfathered in and will not be affected.
- Starting in 2024, it will direct the OLCC to verify that retailers are current or in good standing with the DOR for cannabis sales taxes to be able to renew the license. for the purposes of license renewal. All DOR-approved payment plans entered into prior to 2024 will be exempted from this requirement. This provision will be limited to cannabis sales taxes only.
- It will also direct the OLCC to investigate ways too help reign in unfair business practices, such as refusal to make good faith efforts to pay vendors.
Finally: Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or ideas – Jesse Bontecou, Jesse@oregoncannabisretailers.com)