Great news! For the first time ever, a medical cannabis bill is headed to the Alabama House floor. This morning, the House Health Committee advanced the Compassion Act — SB 46 — to the full House of Representatives in a voice vote. The Senate has already passed SB 46 in 21-8 vote. (However, because the bill was amended in the House, it would have to go back to the Senate again.)

The Idaho Legislature recently sent SB 1110 to Gov. Little’s desk. By creating extremely burdensome requirements for the signature gathering process, the bill is designed to effectively strip Idahoans of their right to initiate laws through the ballot process.

The Maryland General Assembly wrapped up its 2021 legislative session on Monday. A comprehensive bill—HB 32— was introduced and championed by Delegate Jazz Lewis, but unfortunately the bill was not taken up this session.

This post is a remembrance of longtime cannabis policy activist Steve Fox from his colleagues at VS Strategies and Vicente Sederberg LLP. Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues, We are truly heartbroken to share news of the passing of our partner and dear friend Steve Fox. Steve served as managing partner of VS Strategies since co-founding it in 2013, and he was a leader at Vicente Sederberg LLP since its formation in 2010. We welcome the celebration of Steve’s life through the sharing of thoughts…

We need all hands on deck to pass legalization this year! HB 150 — Delaware’s bill to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults — has passed the House Health and Human Development Committee. Next, the bill will be considered by the House Appropriations Committee before heading to the House floor for a vote. 

It’s been an incredible couple of weeks for cannabis policy reform! New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham just signed two bills that will end cannabis prohibition in the state! The first, HB 2, legalizes cannabis for adults, while companion legislation, SB 2, allows for automatic expungement of past cannabis convictions and pardons for those currently incarcerated for low-level marijuana offenses.

Today, the Virginia Legislature gave final approval to Gov. Ralph Northam's amendments to the adult-use legalization bill, making Virginia the17th state—and the first in the South—to legalize cannabis! It is also the fourth state to pass legalization through its state legislature, as opposed to via voter referendum.

Now that the Virginia General Assembly has voted to legalize cannabis for adults, legislators in other southern states are taking notice and seeking to emulate Virginia’s success. Yesterday, North Carolina Sen. Jay Chaudhuri introduced SB 646, titled the Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act. The bill would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults 21 and older. It would also create a medical cannabis program and provide for automatic expungement of past cannabis offenses.

Great news! Earlier today, the Judiciary Committee advanced an amended version of Gov. Lamont’s proposal to legalize cannabis for adults over the age of 21 in a 22-16 vote.

On March 25, the Vermont Senate passed S. 25, a bill that would strengthen the social equity provisions in Vermont’s cannabis legalization law. The bill would require 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.”