ESG 101 & the Cannabis Industry

When the Colorado General Assembly gaveled out its 2026 session on May 13, Colorado House Bill 26-1236 was one of the more consequential measures to clear both chambers. Branded simply as “arbitration reform,” it reshapes how consumer and employment arbitrations work in Colorado—and adds real teeth for businesses that drag their feet on paying awards.

Under the new changes to C.R.S. § 44-3-402, Colorado distillers will be able to serve and sell beer, wine, other distillers’ spirits, and beers and wines by the drink for on-premises consumption at the distiller’s manufacturing facility and at the manufacturer’s approved sales room. In practical effect, the bill grafts much of the retail functionality of a Colorado Distillery Pub onto a manufacturer’s license, while letting the producer keep all the production and distribution rights a distillery pub does not have.