On Monday, Governor Phil Scott signed S. 25, a bill that will strengthen the social equity provisions in Vermont’s cannabis legalization law. S. 25 requires the Cannabis Control Board to reduce or eliminate licensing fees for social equity applicants, which are defined as “individuals from communities that historically have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition or individuals directly and personally impacted by cannabis prohibition,” and it creates a Cannabis Business Development…

Exciting news! Last night, the Connecticut Senate approved a bill that would legalize cannabis for adults in a 19-17 vote. The measure now heads to the House of Representatives where a vote is anticipated later today. If passed, Gov. Lamont is expected to sign the bill into law.

Big news! On Friday, the House Appropriations Committee approved HB 150 — a bill to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults in Delaware. As you may recall, the House Health and Human Development Committee had already approved the bill back in March. Now, the legislation is cleared for a vote by the full House of Representatives. The vote is scheduled for this Thursday, June 10 at 2 p.m.

Exciting news! As you may recall, in April the Judiciary Committee advanced an amended version of Gov. Lamont’s proposal to legalize cannabis for adults over the age of 21 on a 22-16 vote. The final language the committee approved was a major improvement over the bill as-introduced. Lawmakers have now reached an agreement on the details of legalization — now S.B. 1118 — with a Senate vote expected on Monday.

Last week, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 89, a bill adding autism spectrum disorder as a qualifying condition for the therapeutic cannabis program and adding moderate to severe insomnia as a qualifying symptom. This is welcome news, but most New Hampshire residents believe the state should go much further and legalize cannabis for adults’ use. A new poll published by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center indicates that three out of four Granite Staters support legalizing cannabis. This includes…

Texas’ 2021 legislative session adjourned on Monday, May 31. Although several cannabis reform bills were introduced this year, only one very modest reform — HB 1535 — was approved by the legislature. The bill now heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk for action.

Ask your state senator to stop jailing cannabis consumers! Yesterday, the Louisiana Senate voted to allow medical cannabis in its raw, flower form in a 23-14 vote!The Senate made some tweaks to the bill (HB 391), so it will head back to the House before landing on Gov. John Bel Edwards’ desk. The Senate has not yet voted on the separate bill (HB 514),  which MPP opposes, that would tax flower cannabis.Meanwhile, a Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill (HB 652) to decriminalize possession of…

Today, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) reintroduced the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. If enacted, the legislation would end the federal prohibition of cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act and ending criminal penalties under federal law.

With just a few days left in the legislative session, the medical cannabis expansion bill is getting close to the finish line! Yesterday, the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously passed (9-0) a bill (HB 1535) that would expand the state’s low-THC cannabis program. The bill has already been approved by the House of Representatives and is now cleared for a vote by the full Senate.

This evening, the Louisiana Senate is scheduled to consider allowing raw/flower medical cannabis (HB 391), along with a separate bill that would impose state and local sales tax on it (HB 514). Both bills have already passed the House.