New York State of Politics reports that on Feb. 2 Albany Judge Anne M. Nardacci rejected a challenge to New York state’s cannabis licensing program from two California applicants who claimed it unconstitutionally discriminated against out-of-state residents. The judge said the Commerce Clause does not apply to commerce that the federal government considers illegal, such as cannabis. New York State Attorney General Letitia James said, "This is an important victory in our efforts to ensure that disproportionately impacted communities are given their fair share in the legal cannabis industry." New York has rules prioritizing businesses from within the state, and also those with owners impacted by former cannabis policies. Lawsuits, bureaucratic issues, and political grandstanding is to blame for New York’s slow retail rollout of cannabis stores, with only a few open almost three years after legalization. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.