The Cannabis Control Board is Finally Complete

By: Andrew P. Cooper, Esq., LL.M. and Terran Cooper

On September 22nd, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced her final two appointments to the CCB – Reuben McDaniel III and Jessica García. Within a month of taking office, Gov. Hochul has facilitated the completion of the Cannabis Control Board. This comes as a welcome surprise for those who waited nearly half a year for any headway under the direction of Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “New York’s cannabis industry has stalled for far too long—I am making important appointments to set the Office of Cannabis Management up for success so they can hit the ground running,” Governor Hochul said. “I am confident Mr. McDaniel and Ms. Garcia will serve the board with professionalism and experience as we lead our state forward in this new industry.” For more information on these final two appointments please see below. 

These appointments, as well as the previous four, shall serve a three-year term. The Cannabis Control Board will be responsible for a number of functions related to NY’s adult-use licensing. The CCB will have authority to issue licenses (as well as registrations and permits) provided by the MRTA, limit the number of licenses, revoke licensure, regulate the requirements of applicants and licensees, appoint employees of the Office of Cannabis Management, and numerous other functions relating to the establishment of a legal New York adult-use cannabis market. For more information regarding the functions of the Cannabis Control Board please see Article 2 of Senate Bill S854A.  

Now is the time for the CCB to begin establishing more detailed regulations for NY adult-use licensure. This will likely be a lengthy process, as there are a significant number of factors to consider in doing so. We have yet to see the extent of NY’s social and economic equity initiatives, most of which will be determined by the CCB and Office of Cannabis Management. The CCB should carefully look to other states in drafting guidance, keeping in mind the many elements that separate New York from any other state. NY is already the largest cannabis consumer in the U.S., through the illegal market alone. A careful balancing act of the numerous components in NY’s potential adult-use market will be required. The CCB must now speak for themselves and establish incredibly thoughtful licensure guidelines to ensure the success of NY’s legal cannabis market.  

Reuben McDaniel III 

Reuben McDaniel III serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of DASNY, New York State’s public finance and construction authority. McDaniel is responsible for the overall management of DASNY’s administration and operations. This comes after 30 years of experience in financial services, including public finance, personal wealth management, corporate finance, and private equity. Prior to participating in multi-billion dollar tax-exempt bond issuances and managing multi-million dollar investment portfolios, McDaniel served as Chair of the Atlanta Board of Education for Public Schools. McDaniel says he has established his reputation as a “relationship-driven, growth-oriented, results-producing financial services professional.” McDaniel further wrote, “I have a passion for education and have committed my philanthropic efforts to bettering the education alternatives for all children.” McDaniel also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Jessica García 

Jessica García is the Assistant to the President of the Retail Wholesale Department Store Union (RWDSU), United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), a national labor union representing workers along the food supply chain, as well as workers in non-food retail and healthcare. Prior to becoming the Assistant to the President of the RWDSU, García served as Deputy Political Director for the RWDSU, working to advance the union’s legislative and political agendas. Before her involvement with the RWDSU, García was the Director of Programs and Organizing at New Immigrant Community Empowerment and spent much of her early career advocating for fair funding for New York City’s public schools. Currently, García also acts as chair of board to the New York Committee for Safety and Health and the Advocacy Institute, vice-president of the Rural & Migrant Ministry board of directors, and member of the board of the Costa Rican-based Vivir El Sueno organization. García is originally from Honduras and is a graduate of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and Harvard University. 

For more information on the previous four CCB appointments, click here.

Works Cited 

DASNY. (n.d.). Executive Leadership Team. Retrieved from DASNY: https://www.dasny.org/about-us/executive-leadership-team 

Governor's Press Office. (2021, September 22). Governor Hochul Announces Appointments to Office of Cannabis Management Board. Retrieved from New York State Governor: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-appointments-office-cannabis-management-board 

Jessica C. García. (n.d.). Jessica C. García. Retrieved from LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagarcia/# 

Reuben McDaniel III. (n.d.). Reuben McDaniel III. Retrieved from LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenmcdaniel/ 

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