Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) has introduced a bill that would establish a state "social equity program" and advisory board to push affirmative action business development initiatives for disproportionately incarcerated populations.
The bill, LD 1517, was first introduced by the House Speaker during the first legislative session in July 2023 and was originally entitled "An Act to Create Equity in the State's Cannabis Industry."
The first iteration of the bill would have established a "cannabis business equity program" to provide business support services to individuals previously convicted of and incarcerated for a cannabis-related crime.
On Tuesday, Talbot Ross unveiled a complete overhaul of LD 1517, striking the original title of the bill and its text entirely, replacing it with a sponsor amendment entitled "An Act to Establish the Social Equity Program."
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