Washington, D.C. lawmakers have advanced an amended bill to fundamentally reshape the District’s medical marijuana program—including by eliminating cannabis business licensing caps, providing tax relief to operators, further promoting social equity and creating new regulated business categories such as on-site consumption facilities and cannabis cooking classes.“We’ve done that over the years, and this is just one additional step where we’re trying to fulfill those commitments to both the initiatives and laws that we pass in the District of Columbia around medical cannabis.” Another component of the legislation would empower officials to crack down on “gifting” operators that sell non-cannabis items in exchange for “free” marijuana products.Watch live now Markup – Provident Group/Bison Properties Revenue Bonds Project Approval – Child Wealth Building Act – Howard University Property Tax Exemption Clarification Act – Medical Cannabis Act – Fair Meals Delivery Act Watch Live: – Council site https://t.co/7tSvcyhKds pic.twitter.com/2xOVkhPK9e — Council of DC (@councilofdc) November 29, 2022 One of the most significant changes concerns tax policy for the cannabis industry, with the committee approving the revised bill with language that says marijuana businesses can deduct taxes under local statute that they’re prohibited from making under the federal Internal Revenue Services (IRS) code known as 280E.The measure also gives city officials authority to take enforcement action against anyone who “knowingly engages or attempts to engage in the purchase, sale, exchange, or any other form of commercial transaction involving cannabis that is not purchased, sold, or exchanged” under the gifting provision of the District’s marijuana law.Even after that window closes, the bill says current medical marijuana businesses and social equity applicants “shall receive priority review.” The legislation was also changed to rename the key regulatory agency, from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABC)."