Governor signs background check bill for marijuana industry

A bill for marijuana business background checks was signed into law April 24, a necessary change so the state’s cannabis industry can proceed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had questioned the original bill legalizing Delaware’s marijuana industry because of unclear rules regarding background checks and fingerprinting for license applicants and others working in marijuana-related jobs.

House Bill 110, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, fixed the original bill to meet federal requirements, gain access to FBI criminal history record information, and update Delaware’s licensing rules to clarify grounds for approval or denial of a license based on criminal background check information.

“Delaware’s recreational cannabis industry is going to create good-paying jobs and provide critical revenue for the state to help pay for schools, housing and healthcare. House Bill 110 will strengthen our background check requirements, align our practices with federal standards and safeguard public trust,” said Gov. Matt Meyer in a press release. “I want to thank Majority Whip Osienski for his swift leadership in addressing this issue through legislation. As we implement these measures, we’ll keep pressing the federal government to end the bureaucracy standing in the way of getting this industry launched quickly and with integrity.” 

Osienski, the House sponsor of the marijuana legalization bill, said he was grateful that the bill quickly moved through the General Assembly and was signed into law.

"With HB 110 now law, I’m hopeful the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner will be able to secure the necessary approvals to establish the background check system needed to move Delaware’s adult-use cannabis industry forward," Osienski said in a press release.