New York Assembly Bill A05341

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/13/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 5/20/25
• Refer: 5/20/25
• Report Pass: 5/28/25
• Refer: 5/28/25
• Report Pass: 6/4/25
• Refer: 6/4/25
• Report Pass: 6/6/25
• Engrossed: 6/6/25
• Refer: 6/6/25

Caption

Restricts cannabis storefronts and premises from being located within 500 feet from a school and two hundred feet of a house of worship.

Summary

A05341 amends New York’s cannabis law to tighten location restrictions for cannabis retail storefronts and adult-use on-site consumption premises. Under current law, these businesses may not be located within 500 feet of school grounds or within 200 feet of a house of worship. The bill keeps those distance limits but expands how the restricted areas are measured in mixed-use buildings. Specifically, the bill provides that, for purposes of the school and house-of-worship buffers, the restricted area includes all entrances and exits in a mixed-use building that contains or is used as a school or house of worship. It also applies the same rule to adult-use on-site consumption licenses, making it harder for such premises to be approved in or near mixed-use buildings with those sensitive uses. The act takes effect immediately and applies to new licenses issued on or after the effective date.

Impact

The bill would amend sections 72 and 77 of the cannabis law, expanding the practical reach of existing setback requirements for cannabis retail and on-site consumption licenses. It affects applicants, licensees, and regulators by requiring the state to treat entrances and exits in mixed-use buildings as part of the protected school or house-of-worship area, which could disqualify additional locations from licensure. The measure applies prospectively to new licenses only.

Sentiment

The available voting record shows strong and unanimous support throughout the Assembly process, with favorable votes in committee and a 143-0 final passage vote. That pattern suggests broad agreement that the bill is a targeted public-safety and land-use clarification rather than a controversial policy shift. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the votes indicate little to no opposition.

Contention

The main policy issue is the balance between cannabis business siting flexibility and protection of sensitive community uses. Supporters appear to favor a stricter interpretation of setbacks around schools and houses of worship, especially in mixed-use buildings where entrances and exits can create proximity concerns. Potentially affected parties include cannabis applicants, existing and prospective retail operators, mixed-use property owners, and communities concerned about the placement of cannabis businesses near schools and religious institutions. The unanimous votes suggest any disagreement, if present, was limited or resolved before floor consideration.