An assessment of the New York Office of Cannabis Management will aim to find opportunities for improvement amid the legal cannabis rollout, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Monday.

Jeanette Moy, the state Office of General Services commissioner, will serve as lead and executive sponsor of the effort.

The assessment’s goals are to:

  • Conduct a top-down review of organizational structure, processes, and systems with a focus on improving OCM license processing times and application-to-opening timeframes for new cannabis retailers and businesses
  • Develop key performance metrics and an executive-level licensing dashboard to provide the Executive Chamber with a timely, accurate, and comprehensive picture of licensing activity for legal retailers
  • Identify and implement changes to policy, procedure, and regulation (within the bounds of the MRTA) to streamline the licensing process and simplify application and review for prospective licensees
  • Develop three-month and six-month action plans with organizational change initiatives, milestones, and actions to continue improving agency functions while developing a world-class licensing and regulatory agency for New York States’ cannabis industry

“Today, we take the first step in revamping New York’s legal cannabis industry to ensure its long-term success,” Hochul said in a statement. “I have full confidence in Commissioner Moy’s ability to identify areas that need improvement, establish standards and processes across agencies, and jumpstart the next phase of New York’s legal cannabis market.”

The assessment comes after Hochul last month expressed immense displeasure with the Office of Cannabis Management’s plan to approve three licenses, and the agency’s slow actions since legal challenges that stalled the market rollout were settled last fall.

The assessment by Moy will take a minimum of 30 days, the governor’s office said.

“I look forward to working with OCM’s leadership to help get this agency’s work on track and find ways to streamline the application process and get businesses open,” Moy said in a statement.

The governor’s office said a potential external consulting may be considered to support a second, longer-duration phase of the effort after the 30-day assessment is completed.

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