Commissioner urges action on county cannabis restitution funds; colleague says state guidance still pending

At a St. Mary's County commissioners meeting, a commissioner urged staff to move quickly on cannabis restitution (CRRF) funds, saying the county has delayed action and should not risk the state reclaiming the money. "We gotta get that moving," the commissioner said, asking the county administrator for an update and suggesting the board make a motion to advance the funds.

The request came after the commissioner said various members have discussed the issue for some time and asserted the county might be "the last county in Maryland to actually do anything with our funds." Commissioner (S2) pushed back on that phrasing, saying, "I don't think we're the last," and noted that a bill introduced by Mary Washington this year did not advance. S2 said the county is awaiting directions from CSMC and that staff have not yet seen the final state regulations.

Commissioner (S2) said some changes to the framework are expected, citing what staff told the board: "I think the biggest one is 70% of area median income is gonna be 60% of statewide income instead." S2 added that staff bandwidth has been limited but committed to presenting a proposal "very, very soon." No motion or vote on CRRF distribution was recorded during the exchange.

Why it matters: CRRF funds are intended for cannabis-related restitution and local programs tied to state guidance; delayed action can affect eligible recipients and the timeline for local programs. The board did not adopt a timeline or a specific allocation at this meeting; commissioners asked staff to follow up with a proposal.

The commissioners moved on to other items after the exchange; Commissioner (S2) said staff will bring back more information as capacity allows.