California's AB 2697, authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee 13-1 on Wednesday and now heads to a full Assembly floor vote. The bill, previously approved by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee last month, would permit licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses with storefronts to sell marijuana products "to a customer in a motor vehicle in a drive-through located on the premises." Businesses would need approval from their local jurisdiction before adding the drive-thru option.
Assemblymember Jessica Caloza (D) told colleagues the bill addresses a "regulatory inconsistency" under which "licensed cannabis retailers can offer curbside pickup as a remnant of COVID pandemic adaptations" but "generally cannot fulfill orders for customers sitting in their car at a drive-thru." The legislation would "make legal cannabis more accessible and will help the legal market compete with illicit market," she said.
Mark Smith of Chuck's Wellness Center, a retailer in Placerville, said the bill is "about improving access." "A significant portion of customers rely on cannabis as medicine, including seniors, veterans and individuals living with chronic conditions that affect mobility—exactly the population this regulated system is meant to serve," he said. "A drive-thru model addresses this gap in a controlled, compliant manner. It reduces physical barriers, supports [Americans With Disabilities Act]-conscious principles and creates a more inclusive retail environment without changing who has access—only how that access is provided."
Amy O'Gorman Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association said the proposal "supports the fiscal interests of the state at a time when you see cannabis revenues in sharp decline." "Anything we can do to offer practical solutions to keep consumers in our stores is really, really important," she said.
After an Assembly floor vote, the bill would move to the Senate for consideration.
Separately, California regulators recently updated the state's marijuana licensing process to make it easier for businesses to qualify for federal benefits tied to the Trump administration's move to reschedule medical cannabis. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed a bill in October that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis directly to patients via carriers like FedEx and UPS, citing concerns it "would be burdensome and overly complex to administer." He signed legislation to expedite marijuana and psychedelics research, paused a recently enacted marijuana tax hike in September, and California officials awarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research.
