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Senate panel advances Catherine Rivera to Cannabis Control Appeals Panel after questions about board workload and prior ALRB decision
Summary
Catherine Rivera was advanced to the Cannabis Control Appeals Panel by the Senate Rules Committee after a hearing in which senators asked about the appeals board's low caseload, time commitments, and a past Agricultural Labor Relations Board decision in which Rivera had participated.
The Senate Rules Committee moved Catherine Rivera's nomination to the Cannabis Control Appeals Panel to the full Senate after questioning from multiple senators about the board's caseload, expected workload and Rivera's prior administrative decisions while serving on the Agricultural Labor Relations Board.
Rivera told the committee she has 25 years of public-service experience and described the appeals panel as a quasi-judicial body charged with reviewing licensing and enforcement actions and ensuring due process for parties appearing before it. "If given the opportunity, I will approach this work with impartiality, fairness, and adherence to the law," Rivera said.
Senators raised several concerns during questioning. Senator Brian Jones noted the panel has met infrequently and questioned whether the compensation was appropriate for the apparent time commitment: "it's very well compensated for what appears to be not much time requirement," he said. Rivera responded that while the panel currently meets quarterly and its work includes administrative, training and legislative-review responsibilities, she has spent time learning the 34 classes of licenses and other regulatory nuances to prepare for adjudicatory work.
Senator Gonzales pressed Rivera about her record on the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), referring to a past case in which a decertification vote was set aside; Rivera said she could not discuss deliberations in detail and that "the decision does speak for itself." Rivera said cases sometimes resolve through stipulated judgments and that changes in licensing rules and enforcement may increase the panel's caseload in the future.
Committee members also expressed interest in ensuring that the appeals process is transparent and responsive to local concerns, including equity applicants and city-level licensing decisions. Rivera said the Department of Cannabis Control handles licensing and the panel reviews administrative decisions and penalties that may be appealed.
The committee recorded a committee-level vote that resulted in three aye votes and two no votes and forwarded the nomination to the full Senate for action.
