Cannabis Advisory Panel

Deschutes County Cannabis Advisory Panel

On October 6, 2021, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners appointed 8-members to the Deschutes County Cannabis Advisory Panel (CAP) by adopting Order 2021-045. The Board appointed the CAP to meet quarterly and provide at least three recommendations: 

1. The use of moneys transferred to the county under ORS 475B.759;
2. Increases in public safety measures related to marijuana use and marijuana entitles in the county; and
3. Issues presented by the production, processing, wholesaling and distribution of marijuana in the unincorporated area subject to the jurisdiction of the county.
    

Panel Members

The CAP is comprised of 8 members listed in the table below.

Background

Introduced by Representative Jason Kropf (D, Bend), sponsored by Representative Jack Zika (R, Redmond), and ultimately adopted by the Oregon Legislature on June 26, 2021, House Bill (HB) 3295 ensures that counties that participate in Oregon’s marijuana economy receive a share of marijuana revenue. For Deschutes County, to receive marijuana tax revenue, the Board is required to appoint a CAP.

Marijuana tax revenue has not been paid to Deschutes County by the Oregon Department of Revenue since 2019, when the Board passed Ordinance 2019-014, prohibiting the establishment of future (new) marijuana production and processing businesses in unincorporated Deschutes County (commonly referred to as an Opt Out). Ordinance No. 2019-015, adopted on October 16, 2019, further clarified that Ordinance No. 2019-014 has no impact on the County’s past marijuana production land use decisions and does not preclude those applicants from moving forward in the licensure process with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). On November 3, 2020, Ballot Measure 9-134 asked voters if they wanted to repeal the opt-out ordinances—a “yes” vote would once again allow new marijuana production and processing businesses in Deschutes County, and a “no” vote would continue to prohibit new marijuana production and processing businesses in Deschutes County. Ultimately, Deschutes County residents voted “no” to Measure 9-134, thereby upholding the opt-out and prohibiting future/new recreational marijuana production and processing businesses from being established in the unincorporated county.
 

Meeting Information