Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law a package of significant reforms to the state’s multibillion-dollar marijuana industry.

While officials said key aspects of the bill could take a year or longer to implement, the measure will eventually crack down on unjustified municipal fees charged to marijuana operations, deposit a chunk of recreational pot tax revenues into a loan fund for disenfranchised entrepreneurs, and clear the way for a cannabis café pilot program.

Other provisions would make it slightly easier for former defendants to clear away old marijuana-related criminal charges, while also requiring cities and towns to consider equity when awarding local licenses to pot businesses, as the Cannabis Control Commission must when awarding state licenses. Read more here.

Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission Updates Guidelines

The process from seed to sale is moving along for the state’s medical cannabis commission. Following last month’s meeting, the commission says they are on track for the next steps of the process because they approved their rules and regulations.

“These rules will interact with license, with applications, with patients, caregivers,” said commission member Will Webster.

Four amendments to the rules were discussed during Thursday’s meeting. “We’ve actually made some pretty significant changes to the rules and regulations because of the comments we got from the public,” said John McMillan, director of the commission. Read more here.