A5051 — Revises certain restrictions concerning hemp, intoxicating hemp beverages, and medical cannabis.

Text differences are not automatic legal amendments.

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-A5051 ASSEMBLY, No
+A5051 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No
 5051 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 222nd LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026 Sponsored by: Assemblyman ROBERT J
-KARABINCHAK District 18 (Middlesex) Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO District 20 (Union) SYNOPSIS Revises certain restrictions concerning hemp, intoxicating hemp beverages, and medical cannabis
-CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced
+KARABINCHAK District 18 (Middlesex) Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO District 20 (Union) Senator NICHOLAS P
+SCUTARI District 22 (Somerset and Union) Co-Sponsored by: Assemblyman Sampson SYNOPSIS Revises certain restrictions concerning hemp, intoxicating hemp beverages, and medical cannabis
+CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As reported by the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee on May 14, 2026, with amendments
 An Act concerning hemp and medical cannabis regulation, and amending various parts of statutory law
 Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1
 Section 8 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.2C:35-10f) is amended to read as follows: 8
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 (1) Except as provided in section 11 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.24:6I-48.5), on or after April 13, 2026, any person or entity that sells, offers for sale, or distributes an intoxicating hemp beverage shall be subject to the penalties established pursuant to section 8 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.2C:35-10f)
 (2) On or after November 13, 2026, the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of an intoxicating hemp beverage by any person or entity shall be subject to the penalties established in section 8 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.2C:35-10f)
 b
-(1) On or after May 31, 2026, an intoxicating hemp beverage sold, offered for sale, or distributed in accordance with section 11 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.24:6I-48.5) [ may not contain more than 5 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or not more than 10 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per container ] shall only be in the following container forms: (a) a can containing not more than five milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or not more than 10 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per can; or (b) a resealable bottle of 750 milliliters in volume containing 40 servings of five milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or not more than 200 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per bottle 
+(1) On or after May 31, 2026, an intoxicating hemp beverage sold, offered for sale, or distributed in accordance with section 11 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.24:6I-48.5) [ may not contain more than 5 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or not more than 10 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per container ] shall only be in the following container forms: (a) a can containing 1 [ not more than five milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or ] 1 not more than 10 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per can; or (b) a resealable bottle of 750 milliliters in volume containing 40 servings of five milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or not more than 200 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per bottle 
 (2) A certificate of analysis prepared by a laboratory that meets the requirements of paragraph (3) of this subsection shall accompany the sale or distribution of any intoxicating hemp beverage sold or distributed on or after May 31, 2026 and shall certify [ that the product contains no more than 5 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving or no more than 10 milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per container ] the amounts of total tetrahydrocannabinol per serving and total tetrahydrocannabinol per container
 For the purposes of this paragraph, a cannabinoid concentration that is within 90 to 110 percent of the specified milligrams per serving and per container claimed for that product shall be deemed to be compliant 
 (3) The certificate of analysis required pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be prepared by an independent testing laboratory that complies with the testing established by the commission, provided that such laboratory shall be registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States Department of Justice and ISO 17025 accredited for all analytes required by the commission
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 Section 1 of P.L.1948, c.98 (C.33:1-12.23) is amended to read as follows: The holder of a plenary retail consumption license or a seasonal retail consumption license, after the effective date of this act, may sell and display for sale alcoholic beverages in original containers for consumption off the licensed premises only in the public barroom of the licensed premises, such barroom being a room containing a public bar, counter or similar piece of equipment designed for and used to facilitate the sale and dispensing of alcoholic beverages by the glass or other open receptacle for consumption on the licensed premises; provided, however, that where, prior to the effective date of this act, alcoholic beverages in original containers for off-premises consumption were sold and displayed for sale by the holder of such license, either to the exclusion of sale for consumption on the licensed premises or upon a portion of the licensed premises other than the public barroom, such sale and display shall be permitted as heretofore and notwithstanding renewal or transfer of the license either from person to person or place to place, subject to rules and regulations to be promulgated by the commissioner
 The holder of a plenary retail consumption license may, until the expiration date set forth in section 11 of P.L.2025, c.215 (C.24:6I-48.5), sell and display for sale intoxicating hemp beverages in original containers for consumption off the licensed premises only in the public barroom of the licensed premises, provided that the public barroom is not located in or upon a premises that also operates a hotel, restaurant, entertainment facility, or commercial bowling establishment
 (cf: P.L.1948, c.98, s.1) 7
-This act shall take effect immediately
-STATEMENT This bill revises certain restrictions concerning hemp, intoxicating hemp beverages, and medical cannabis
-Hemp and Intoxicating Hemp Beverages Under current law, hemp producers may possess or transport material in excess of the 0.3 percent statutory THC limit, until May 31, 2026, if the material is an intermediate hemp-derived extract that is in the process of being manufactured into a final product that meets the legal THC limits
-Additionally, effective May 31, 2026, intoxicating hemp beverages will be limited to five milligrams of total THC per serving, or 10 milligrams of total THC per container, may only be sold by certain licensees of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) or the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), and will require a certificate of analysis
-Effective May 31, 2026, sales by ABC licensees will be subject to certain product display and customer age verification restrictions
-Effective November 13, 2026, in conformity with federal law, intoxicating hemp beverages may no longer be sold by ABC licensees, and the sale of such products by CRC licensees will be treated in the same manner as adult use cannabis
-Under the bill, the May 31, 2026 deadlines applicable to hemp producers and the milligram limits on intoxicating hemp beverages are extended to November 13, 2026
-The bill repeals the requirement that ABC licensees store or display intoxicating hemp beverages in a place not accessible to customers without employee assistance
-The bill requires ABC licensees to segregate the placement of intoxicating hemp beverages separate from other intoxicating liquors and inform customers of the appropriate serving size of the beverage
-Additionally, the bill changes the size limits of intoxicating hemp beverages, effective November 13, 2026, to two container forms: (a) a can containing not more than five milligrams of total THC per serving or not more than 10 milligrams of total THC per can; or (b) a resealable bottle of 750 milliliters in volume containing 40 servings of 5 milligrams of total THC per serving or not more than 200 milligrams of total THC per bottle
-Concerning certificates of analysis for intoxicating hemp beverages, the bill allows for a 10 percent margin of error in cannabinoid concentration in the required laboratory testing results
-The bill expands the ability of ABC licensed bars that sell packaged alcoholic beverages for off premises consumption to also sell intoxicating hemp beverages, provided that the bar is not part of or located within a hotel, restaurant, entertainment facility, or bowling alley
-The November 13, 2026 deadline ending sales by ABC licensees remains in place
-Medical cannabis The bill allows a medical cannabis dispensary that is applying for a Class 5 adult use cannabis retailer license to be co-located with the medical dispensary to not require additional municipal review, if it is located in a municipality that already allows medical cannabis dispensaries to operate
-Thus, an existing medical cannabis dispensary would not need separate municipal approval for the Class 5 adult use retailer portion of its business premises.
+This act shall take effect immediately.

nj-2026-a5051-introduced-metadata-20261027 · 2026-10-27 · captured introduced