Alcoholic Beverage Control, Division of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: https://www.sla.ny.gov/
, https://cannabis.ny.gov/
Mission
The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) operates under the direction of the State Liquor Authority (SLA), a three-member Board consisting of a Chairperson, who acts as the agency administrator, and two Commissioners, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Division regulates and controls the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages within the State; issues licenses and permits to manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers; works with local law enforcement agencies and localities across the State to ensure compliance with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law; and regulates trade and credit practices for the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages.
The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is an independent State office established by the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) and located within the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The OCM is governed by the Cannabis Control Board (CCB), which consists of five members, including the Chair nominated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, and the four remaining Board members appointed by the Governor, the Assembly, and the Senate. The OCM provides a unified and comprehensive regulatory structure to monitor and control the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and sale of cannabis in New York State.
Organization and Staffing
The ABC is organized into three major business units: Administration, Licensing and Compliance. These units are under the direction of an Executive Team including the Chair's Office, Office of Public Affairs, Licensing Bureau, Wholesale Bureau, Enforcement Bureau, Office of Counsel, Hearing Bureau, Secretary's Office and Internal Audit.
The OCM is an independent State office within ABC. OCM is comprised of various units under the direction of an Executive Team, including the Clinical Unit, the Communications and Public Information Office, External Affairs, the Economic Development and Equity Unit, Legal Unit, Enforcement Unit, Licensing Unit, Regulatory Compliance Unit, and Policy Unit.
Major Programs
Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
Chair’s Office
The Chair of the Authority is statutorily responsible and has sole authority for the administration of the State Liquor Authority/Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The Office coordinates daily agency operations, providing external support to a wide variety of public and licensed interests, as well as internal support to all agency program units.
Office of Public Affairs
The Office of Public Affairs fosters positive working relationships with federal, state and local legislators, community groups and their staff. The Office engages in discussions in support of the SLA’s annual legislative program and, where appropriate, Governor’s Program Bills bearing on alcoholic beverage control policy. It also responds to media requests, distributes press releases, and coordinates press-related events and assists in the management of the content of the agency’s website.
Licensing Bureau
The Licensing Bureau coordinates statewide licensing policies, standards and initiatives, and ensures that all license or permit applicants meet the statutory requirements. Staff reviews all license and permit applications, and prepares detailed reports to ensure either the Licensing Board or the Authority Members are able to make a proper determination on each application. This program also handles brand registrations for all alcoholic beverages sold in New York State.
Wholesale Bureau
The SLA regulates the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages through a tiered system of three independent components: manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. The Wholesale Bureau provides ongoing assistance and guidance to the industry on trade practices and policy issues.
Enforcement Bureau
The Enforcement Bureau is responsible for investigating possible violations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law which are rules and regulations relating to the manufacturing, wholesale, retail, transportation, and storage of alcoholic beverages. This program works with law enforcement agencies and community groups across the State; performs undercover investigations; and conducts training for police departments, licensees, servers and other beverage industry members on alcohol related issues.
Hearing Bureau
The Hearing Bureau is comprised of part-time Administrative Law judges. This program conducts all disciplinary proceedings when licensees are charged with violations and holds hearings to review Licensing Board decisions denying licenses.
Secretary’s Office
This program is responsible for implementing all disciplinary determinations made by the Board; collecting civil penalties and bond payments; and maintaining the repository of agency documentation.
Internal Audit
This program works with SLA’s employees to identify risks and ensure compliance with policies and procedures through evaluations and testing processes.
Office of Cannabis Management
Executive Unit
The Executive Unit is responsible for overseeing the implementation of New York's cannabinoid hemp, adult-use, and medical cannabis programs. This Unit is responsible for designing, building, and implementing OCM's long-term production workflow management system and operational protocols.
Licensing Unit
The Licensing Unit is responsible for being the main contact with licensee applicants, the public, and Executive Government officials on concerns, issues, and processing of applications. This Unit is also responsible for directing and overseeing the evaluation of all applications for licensure submitted to OCM to ensure the accuracy and sufficiency of all information submitted.
Enforcement Unit
The Enforcement Unit is responsible for investigating possible violations of the cannabis laws, rules, and regulations by licensees and non-licensees, including the actions of illicit cannabis businesses operating without a license from OCM. The Unit is also responsible for conducting robust background checks of licensees, investigating any outstanding taxes, fines, penalties, or other factors that may make an individual ineligible for a cannabis license.
Regulatory Compliance Unit
The Regulatory Compliance Unit is responsible for ensuring licensees are operating within the law, regulations, and guidance provided by OCM. Any findings of non-compliance are addressed either by the Compliance Unit in the manner of a notice with corrective action plans or a referral to the Enforcement Unit to seize any products which do not fit the license type a licensee is approved to operate within.
Health and Safety Unit
The Health and Safety Unit is responsible for overseeing the Medical Cannabis Data Management System (MCDMS) used by practitioners to certify patients for the medical program, as well as patient and caregiver registrations. The Unit provides oversight to ensure cannabis products are safe for consumers and follow the regulations lined out by OCM. It also manages cannabis research initiatives across the state and furthers the education on the Medical Cannabis Program in New York State.
Communications/External Affairs Units
The Communications and External Affairs Units are responsible for coordinating all communications between OCM, the public, and elected officials. These Units are also the primary offices within OCM to collect data and input to develop Statewide and regional plans for distributing communications, presentations, outreach materials, and to deliver cannabis program trainings to stakeholders and marginalized communities.
Legal Unit
The Legal Unit is responsible for providing legal counsel and assistance to OCM, addressing Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, and managing any litigation OCM may need to address. The Unit is also involved with bringing legal proceedings against illicit cannabis businesses operating without a license from OCM.
Office of Administrative Hearings
The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) conducts hearings presided over by Administrative Law Judges for operations regulated by OCM. The OCM General Counsel represents the agency against an individual or business entity which holds an OCM-issued license or an individual or business which has received a Notice of Violation pertaining to the unlicensed sale of cannabis.
Policy Unit
The Policy Unit is responsible for policy analysis, data analytics, and research for OCM. This Unit is also responsible for studying the effects of cannabis legalization across a variety of metrics ranging from traffic safety to addiction, as well as analysis of metrics for the medical cannabis program and cannabinoid hemp program.
Economic Development & Equity Unit
The Economic Development and Equity Unit is responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of an equitable cannabis industry that promotes both economic development and opportunities to those from communities disproportionally impacted by the policies of prohibition, including the development of OCM’s Social and Economic Equity (SEE) Plan.
Budget Highlights
The FY 2026 Executive Budget recommends $94.5 million in All Funds appropriations ($21.4 million in General Fund and $73.1 million in Special Revenue Funds - Other).
This includes a year-to-year increase of $4.9 million in ABC General Fund appropriation that reflects additional funding to support 28 new staff in the Licensing, Legal, Wholesale and Manufacturing Bureaus, as well as additional contractual services for the agency’s licensing system.
The SRO appropriations represent a year-to-year increase of $5 million in additional OCM State Operations funding that reflects additional funding for 29 new staff in the Enforcement, Compliance, Legal, and Hearings Units. The FY 2026 Executive Budget also includes the continuation of a $5 million local assistance appropriation for the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund that is administered by OCM and the Cannabis Advisory Board.
The FY 2026 Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 455 FTEs, an increase of 57 from FY 2025.
For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:
Briefing Book – General Government
| Category | Available FY 2025 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2026 |
Change From FY 2025 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 79,663,000 | 89,563,000 | 9,900,000 | 55,383,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 | 10,000,000 |
| Total | 84,663,000 | 94,563,000 | 9,900,000 | 65,383,000 |
| Program | FY 2025 Estimated FTEs 03/31/25 |
FY 2026 Estimated FTEs 03/31/26 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| Cannabis Management | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 245 | 274 | 29 |
| Compliance | |||
| General Fund | 49 | 59 | 10 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | |||
| General Fund | 89 | 107 | 18 |
| Total | 398 | 455 | 57 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2025 |
Recommended FY 2026 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 16,532,000 | 21,432,000 | 4,900,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 63,131,000 | 68,131,000 | 5,000,000 |
| Total | 79,663,000 | 89,563,000 | 9,900,000 |
| Program | Available FY 2025 |
Recommended FY 2026 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 3,015,000 | 5,415,000 | 2,400,000 |
| Cannabis Management | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 63,131,000 | 68,131,000 | 5,000,000 |
| Compliance | |||
| General Fund | 6,144,000 | 7,644,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | |||
| General Fund | 7,373,000 | 8,373,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Total | 79,663,000 | 89,563,000 | 9,900,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 1,546,000 | 0 | 1,531,000 | 0 |
| Compliance | 6,599,000 | 1,500,000 | 5,784,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | 6,390,000 | 1,000,000 | 6,189,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Total | 14,535,000 | 2,500,000 | 13,504,000 | 2,500,000 |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 5,000 | 0 | 10,000 | 0 |
| Compliance | 800,000 | 0 | 15,000 | 0 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | 151,000 | 0 | 50,000 | 0 |
| Total | 956,000 | 0 | 75,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 3,869,000 | 2,400,000 | 176,000 | 0 |
| Compliance | 1,045,000 | 0 | 108,000 | 0 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | 1,983,000 | 0 | 60,000 | 0 |
| Total | 6,897,000 | 2,400,000 | 344,000 | 0 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 27,000 | 0 | 3,614,000 | 2,400,000 |
| Compliance | 32,000 | 0 | 732,000 | 0 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | 20,000 | 0 | 1,848,000 | 0 |
| Total | 79,000 | 0 | 6,194,000 | 2,400,000 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Administration | 52,000 | 0 |
| Compliance | 173,000 | 0 |
| Licensing and Wholesaler Services | 55,000 | 0 |
| Total | 280,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Cannabis Management | 68,131,000 | 5,000,000 | 26,414,000 | 3,000,000 |
| Total | 68,131,000 | 5,000,000 | 26,414,000 | 3,000,000 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Cannabis Management | 41,717,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Total | 41,717,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2025 |
Recommended FY 2026 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Total | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Program | Available FY 2025 |
Recommended FY 2026 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis Management | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
| Total | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 0 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/21/2025