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Bill S.278 Campaign

Protect the Event Permit in Bill S.278! A last-minute amendment proposes removing the section from the bill. Take a moment today to contact the House committee considering the issue on Tuesday, May 26.

What’s the Issue?

Committee discussions for Bill S.278, the leading cannabis bill this year, have concluded in the House chamber, and the legislation is heading to the floor for a vote. Disrupting that movement, Rep. Tagliavia (R-Corinth) has introduced a last-minute amendment to remove the Event Permit from the bill, citing public safety concerns. Take a moment today to contact members of the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs to express support for keeping the Event Permit in the bill, and share with others!

What’s Is the Event Permit in S.278?

This year, the event permit proposal in Bill S.278 is well-developed and differs from previous versions discussed in the State House. It allows all types of license holders—including retailers, manufacturers, and cultivators—to host events lasting 24 hours or less, during which they can make sales and optionally include on-site consumption. This means that cultivators or hash makers can obtain a permit to host a tasting event on their property, allowing them to collaborate with other producers and sell their products at the event. This means that retailers can secure a permit to hold a true farmers' market in a nice location, featuring the producers they have on their shelves. This section of the bill is groundbreaking and would benefit consumers and licensed participants, while generating additional tax revenue for the state. For more details about this section and the other parts of the bill, check out our latest overview.

Contact the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

Take a moment to email each member of this key committee and the two lead sponsors. Note that we have embedded the sample script in each email link. Please edit the message before sending it by customizing the email with your own story and language explaining why this issue is important to you.

Contact Bill S.278 Lead Sponsors

Get the Word Out

After you take action, share this page to your friends, family, and neighbors urging them to contact the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs in this moment, as well. Now is the time to apply pressure in numbers!

 
 

take action → Sample Email and Phone Script

Start by copying and pasting the sample message below, then customize it with your own experience and information, explaining why this issue is important to you, and email it to House Reps. You can also use this as a script to call legislators and leave a message.

More Contact Info on the Find a Legislator Page on the Vermont State House Web Page →

Dear Representative,

My name is [YOUR NAME]. I live [AND/OR OPERATE A LICENSE, SUPPORT LICENSEES] in [CITY/TOWN], Vermont.

It has been brought to my attention that your committee will be discussing and possibly voting on a proposed amendment to Bill S.278, an act relating to cannabis, introduced by Rep. Tagliavia (R-Corinth) that strikes the Event Permit from the bill, citing public safety concerns. I'm writing to express my strongest support for voting to keep Section 5 as it was voted out by your committee the other week, and previously by the Senate, and to reject any further changes to the language. The CCB has a multi-year track record of surpassing public safety matters. Vermont has one of the safest regulated markets in the country; this proposal does not threaten that track record. Moreover, this section is of the utmost importance to the regulated market. It presents a win-win for customers, licensed participants, and potential tax revenue, all in a well-regulated manner.

[OFFER YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE HERE – SUCH AS, AS A SHOPPER, THIS CHANGE WILL DISADVANTAGE MY ABILITY TO OBTAIN THE QUALITY PRODUCTS I HAVE COME TO EXPECT ON THE REGULATED MARKET THAT OUTCOMPETE THE LEGACY MARKET AND OTHER STATE MARKETS, ETC.; OR, AS A LICENSEE, CHANGING THE EVENT PERMIT WILL FURTHER DISADVANTAGE THE VERMONT MARKET'S ABILITY TO REMAIN VIABLE AND COMPETITIVE, ETC.]

Thank you for your time and for your serious consideration of keeping Section 5 in Bill S.278, as it was voted out by your committee the other week, to reject any further changes to the language, and to support Vermont's regulated cannabis industry.

[YOUR NAME]