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Webinar Recording: In the Weeds – Cannabis Advocacy from the Statehouse to Capitol Hill

Watch this recent webinar from March 31 for a lively discussion about how to leverage your company, customers, and industry partners to achieve your state, local, and federal advocacy goals. Whether cannabis is already legal in your state or on the path to being so, learn the advocacy basics to ensure the industry’s, and your company’s, long-term success.

This panel of industry experts discuss:

– What types of activities and interactions with government officials trigger lobbyist registration requirements;
– Best practices for forming coalitions to achieve your advocacy goals, whether at the ballot box or in the statehouse;
– How to form a PAC or other advocacy vehicle; and
– What types of gifts to public officials may be off-limits because of the nature of your cannabis business.

Speakers

Moderator: D. Michael Stroud, Jr.
Partner at Nossaman LLP
Michael Stroud, Jr. brings more than 15 years of legal and legislative policy expertise in border security, infrastructure, national security, tax, transportation, trade, state and local municipal government, and water and wastewater utility. He has advised clients on federal campaign and lobby laws, gift rules, ethics compliance and investigations. Michael has also led efforts on appropriations legislation to obtain legislative changes to advance clients’ interests in the cannabis industry.

Amber Maltbie
Partner at Nossaman LLP
Maltbie is a campaign finance and election law attorney who advises clients in the cannabis industry, including trade associations, private, and publicly traded companies. She advises them on the permissibility of making contributions at the state and local level, preparing and filing campaign finance reports, tracking and notifying public officials who have received client gifts. She has helped develop a banking relationship and facilitated getting its PAC banked. She also advises on support and promotion of ballot measures and legislative advocacy. Amber’s practice covers all 50 states.

William Powers
Partner  at Nossaman LLP
William Powers focuses his practice on political law and campaign finance issues. Drawing on his decade-long career in government, including as a top enforcement official at the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Bill helps clients navigate laws related to campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, gift and gratuities and pay-to-play. His clients include companies and nonprofits at the cutting edge of their industries, and he brings a collaborative and flexible approach in helping them achieve their advocacy goals in elections, the legislative arena, and the ballot measure and initiative process.

 

Supporting Our Cannabis Champions

by Madeline Grant, NCIA Government Relations Manager

With all the action in the 116th Congress so far, NCIA strives to support as many cannabis champions on Capitol Hill as possible. It is key to keep Members of Congress that support cannabis reform in the halls of Congress, as they will continue to push the momentum forward through legislation, committee activity, and education. Our NCIA-PAC Leadership Circle members make this support possible, as their contributions go straight towards Members of Congress. Below are a few events and fundraisers where we utilized PAC funds to support our issues and Members on the Hill.

 

NCIA staff attended Congressman Ed Perlmutter’s fundraiser in celebration of the passage of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act on the House side. Rep. Perlmutter is the lead sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act and because of his leadership and hard work over the years, we are seeing more success this congress than ever before!

As we are approaching the Holiday season, Members of Congress are getting festive. NCIA hosted Congressman McNerny’s Holiday Party. Our D.C. staff is making use of our new office, as we’ve hosted a handful of holiday parties this year full of conversations, hot chocolate, and cookies for all. 

Another festive holiday party hosted at our D.C. office with Congressman Earl Blumenauer. The Congressman gave everyone a mini fruit cake, a famous annual tradition in the Blumenauer office. With all the momentum this congress, Congressman Blumenauer has been one of our biggest champions in cannabis reform. 

Mike and I attended Rep. Porter’s lunch fundraiser this year. It is always a pleasure discussing policy issues with the congresswoman. As a freshman Member of Congress, Rep. Porter has been fighting for the cannabis industry since day 1. We had the pleasure of meeting the Congresswoman when she entered into California’s 45th district race and continue to support her with NCIA’s PAC funds. 

Our Director of Government Relations, Michael Correia, attended Rep. Lee’s birthday this past July. He was able to spend some time with Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Lee while discussing cannabis reform. As you know, the momentum in the 116th congress has been momentous so it’s important to thank the Members of Congress that helped make it happen.

 

How do we support our champions?

NCIA’s Political Action Committee (PAC) supports our champions on Capitol Hill. With NCIA-PAC funds we are able to contribute PAC dollars to the Members of Congress above and many more. These funds go to their campaigns to help them get reelected and stay to fight for us on Capitol Hill. If you are interested in learning more or getting involved with the NCIA-PAC, please send an email to Madeline@TheCannabisIndustry.org. Thank you to our PAC Leadership Circle members that help support cannabis reform on Capitol Hill- without you, we would not be able to support our champions. 

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