Georgia's Hope Act heads to Gov. Kemp, who is expected to sign it.

Yesterday evening, in the waning hours before the legislature adjourned for 2019, a conference committee hammered out final language to allow safe access to low-THC medical cannabis oil within Georgia. The Senate signed off on the Georgia's Hope Act in a 34-20 vote, while the House vote was 147-16.

The Georgia's Hope Act, HB 324, now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who is expected to sign it into law.

In 2015, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill allowing patients to register to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of medical cannabis oil with up to 5% THC. The legislature later expanded the law to include more medical conditions, and more than 8,000 patients are signed up. However, the law didn't include any access to cannabis oil.

Under the Georgia's Hope Act, six producers could cultivate medical cannabis preparations in Georgia, as could two universities. Pharmacies could sell the medical cannabis preparations, and regulators could authorize private dispensaries. (Due to medical cannabis' federal illegality, it is far from certain that universities or pharmacies would participate.)

MPP is grateful to Jacob Eassa, lobbyist with CompassionateGA, who worked hard to get the bill past the finish line and ensure the bill remained workable. We would also like to thank MPP grantee Nora Bushfield of CompassionateGA for their organizing efforts and all the patients and loved ones who spoke out for so many years. And of course, this was only possible due to the leadership of bill sponsor Rep. Micah Gravley (R), former Rep. Allen Peake (R) who championed medical cannabis legislation for years, and all the lawmakers who supported the legislation.

While this is a huge victory, work remains to be done in future legislative sessions to improve the law. It still does not meet MPP's definition of an effective medical cannabis law.

Contact Chair Dela Cruz today and request a hearing for HB1383.

Two Senate committees recently amended and approved a bill that would decriminalize possession of just three grams of cannabis, reducing the penalty to a $30 civil fine. However, the bill will die unless a hearing is scheduled by this Friday, April 5!

Click here to email Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, and ask him to schedule a hearing on the bill — HB1383 HD2 SD1. You can also call Chair Dela Cruz at 808-586-6090. Be sure to be respectful.

The bill has already been approved by the full House. The two Senate committees amended the bill to lower the fine for a first offense from a steep $200 to $30. Still, it only decriminalizes possession of up to three grams, which would be the smallest amount of any decriminalization or legalization state. However, any hope of improving it also dies if the bill does not get a hearing. So please, contact Chair Dela Cruz today!

This legislation is crucial to the marijuana policy reform movement in Hawaii. Please contact Chair Dela Cruz today, then forward this message to your family and friends in Hawaii.

Lt. governor's marijuana legalization listening tour will visit New Castle, East Stroudsburg, Bethlehem, Reading, Lebanon, Tionesta, Duncansville Reynoldsville, and Indiana between tonight and Sunday, April 14.

Over the next 11 days, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be hearing constituents' views on marijuana legalization in nine counties. If you live in any of those counties, try to stop by to make your voice heard.

Here are upcoming stops:

TONIGHT: New Castle (Lawrence County)
Wednesday, April 3, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Intermediate School, Auditorium
101 E. Euclid Avenue

East Stroudsburg (Monroe County)
Sunday, April 7, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
East Stroudsburg University Auditorium
200 Prospect Street

Bethlehem (Northhampton County)
Sunday, April 7, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks
101 Founders Way

Reading (Berks County)
Tuesday, April 9, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Red Knight Accelerated Academy, City Line Campus
1700 City Line Avenue

Lebanon (Lebanon County)
Wednesday, April 10, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Hebron Catering & Events Inc.
701 E. Walnut Street

Tionesta (Forest County)
Saturday, April 13, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tionesta Volunteer Fire Department
107 Bridge Street

Reynoldsville (Jefferson County)
Saturday, April 13, 2:30 to 4 p.m.
The Foundry
45 W. Main Street

Duncansville (Blair County)
Sunday, April 14, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
AFSCME Chapter 89
161 Patchway Road

Indiana (Indiana County)
Sunday, April 14, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Indiana University of PA
Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex
711 Pratt Drive

Consider arriving early: In some cases, crowds have been standing-room only.

When deciding what you'd like to say, feel free to draw from our document on the Top 10 reasons to end marijuana prohibition or other materials. You may want to consider making a pitch for an inclusive, diverse industry, for allowing home cultivation, and for expunging past convictions.

Even if you're not up for speaking in public, you can still make your voice heard. Fetterman has been asking for a show of hands for supporters and opponents, and the governor's office is soliciting feedback on the issue online.

This is a great opportunity to build momentum for commonsense, humane marijuana laws. Don't miss your chance to let your elected officials know it's time to stop branding Pennsylvanians criminals for a substance that's safer than alcohol. And please spread the word to help grow the chorus for reform.

Volunteers are needed this evening in Manchester and Portsmouth, and tomorrow evening in Concord!

The New Hampshire House has already passed the legalization bill once this year in a 209-147 vote. Unfortunately, while the first vote on HB 481 was lopsided, it did not reach the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a veto. We urgently need to continue gaining momentum, so it is very important that representatives hear from supporters before the next vote, which will take place this Thursday.

Supporters are working hard to convince representatives who remain undecided on HB 481. Americans for Prosperity will host a phone bank this evening, Tuesday, April 2, from 5-8 p.m. at their offices in Manchester (340 Granite St. First Floor) and Portsmouth (767 Islington St. Second Floor), and ACLU-NH will host a phone bank tomorrow evening, Wednesday, April 3, from 6-8 p.m. at their office in Concord (18 Low Avenue). Please help out if you are able!

If you haven't already done so, please take a few moments to find out how your representative(s) voted and send them a follow-up message.

You can read a summary of the bill here, as amended by the Ways and Means Committee and approved in a 14-6 vote. Please share this message with your family and friends!

If you live in S.C., click here to send a message to your lawmakers in support of the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act.

Our allies at Compassionate South Carolina are hosting a Lobby Day in Columbia on Wednesday, April 3 to make the case for a medical cannabis program directly with lawmakers. This event can have a huge impact at an important time — a key deadline is just one week later. If you are a patient, loved one, veteran, or medical professional, please consider attending!

Meanwhile, please click here to send a message to your senator and representative in support of the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act — S. 366/ H. 3660.

Lobby Day enables those who support allowing medical cannabis to meet with their own senator and representative and talk about this important bill. Supporters will meet up, talk about the measure and get tips for talking with lawmakers, and make visits at the State House. For more information on the event, click here.

S. 366 emerged from the Senate subcommittee that was reviewing it and will be considered by the full Senate Medical Affairs Committee next Thursday. We want the committee to support the bill, vote "yes," and send it to the floor of the Senate for a vote. A summary of the bill is available here. You can find some key points in support of it here.

Let's keep the pressure up. If you haven't done so already, please send an email message to your state representative and senator in support. You can do that by clicking this link and forwarding a message today. Then, please pass this on to your networks so that they, too, can speak out for compassion.

If you live in New Hampshire, check to see how your representatives voted in the first House vote and follow up with them today!

Yesterday, the New Hampshire Ways and Means Committee voted 14-6 to pass HB 481, the bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults' use. This committee has rejected legalization bills in previous years, so it's particularly noteworthy that it has now been convinced to support of ending prohibition. Next week, the bill will be voted on again by the full House before it proceeds to the Senate.

Please take a few moments to find out how your state representative(s) voted and send them a message to follow up. It's very important that we thank representatives who voted in favor, and for those who did not, this is a critical opportunity to ask them why they voted no.

Before voting to approve the bill, the committee passed an amendment that changes the tax rates and revenue allocations. The tax rate being proposed is 5 percent at the cultivation level and 9 percent at the retail level. You can read an updated summary of the bill here, and you can read NHPR's coverage of the story here.

After you email a follow-up message to your state legislators, please share this message with your family and friends!

If you live in Texas, ask your state lawmakers to support decriminalizing marijuana.

A bill to stop arresting and jailing marijuana consumers in Texas cleared an important hurdle yesterday, when it passed the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. But it has a long way to go before it becomes law.

Ask your state lawmakers to support decriminalizing marijuana in Texas.

Currently, possession of two ounces or less is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail. HB 63 would make the penalty for possessing one ounce or less a fine of $250. This would apply to an individual's first two offenses; after the second offense, it would be a class C misdemeanor, which carries a fine with no jail time.

Texas is punishing adults for using a substance that is safer than alcohol and it's costing the state millions in tax dollars and ruining thousands of Texans' lives. In 2017 alone, there were more than 64,000 arrests for marijuana possession in Texas.

Please ask your lawmakers to support decriminalizing marijuana today. Together, we can bring sensible marijuana policies to Texas.

If you live in New Jersey, ask your lawmakers if they support the legalization bill.

Yesterday, Gov. Phil Murphy and leaders in the legislature decided not to hold a vote on their marijuana legalization bill. It was determined that they did not have enough votes to pass the bill, and they chose to table the bill until they do.

While this is a disappointing setback, let's make sure it is only a temporary one. As Gov. Murphy said, "Justice may be delayed, but justice will not be denied."

Please take a second to email your lawmakers to ask them if they support the legalization bill.

If they don't support the bill, please consider reaching out further and asking for a meeting. If lawmakers don't hear from their constituents, they won't change their minds. If you are interested in setting up a meeting with your lawmaker, please email me at dboyer@mpp.org, and I can help facilitate that and arm you with the best resources in support of ending marijuana prohibition.

So please, email your lawmakers and then spread the word by forwarding this email to friends and family members.

Lt. governor's marijuana legalization listening tour will visit Lewiston, Bedford, Kittaning, Sharon, Monaca, and New Castle between tonight and April 3.

Over the next nine days, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be hearing constituents' views on marijuana legalization in several counties. If you live in any of those counties, try to stop by to make your voice heard.

Here are upcoming stops:

Lewistown (Mifflin County)
TONIGHT, Tuesday, March 26, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Mifflin County Historic Courthouse
1 W. Market Street

Bedford (Bedford County)
Wednesday, March 27, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
American Legion Hall
3721 US-220 BUS

Kittaning (Armstrong County)
Thursday, March 28, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Belmont Complex, Banquet Room
415 Butler Road

Sharon (Mercer County)
Saturday, March 30, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm.
Penn State Shenango
Sharon Hall Auditorium
147 Shenango Avenue

Monaca (Beaver County)
Sunday, March 31, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Penn State Beaver, Auditorium
100 University Drive

New Castle (Lawrence County)
Wednesday, April 3, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Intermediate School, Auditorium
101 E. Euclid Avenue

Consider arriving early: In some cases, crowds have been standing-room only.

When deciding what you'd like to say, feel free to draw from our document on the Top 10 reasons to end marijuana prohibition or other materials. You may want to consider making a pitch for an inclusive, diverse industry, for allowing home cultivation, and for expunging past convictions.

Even if you're not up for speaking in public, you can still make your voice heard. Fetterman has been asking for a show of hands for supporters and opponents, and the governor's office is soliciting feedback on the issue online.

This is a great opportunity to build momentum for commonsense, humane marijuana laws. Don't miss your chance to let your elected officials know it's time to stop branding Pennsylvanians criminals for a substance that's safer than alcohol. And please spread the word to help grow the chorus for reform.

If you live in Georgia, click here to call the lieutenant governor right now and tell him Georgia's patients deserve better!

Over the past several days, MPP has learned of an absurd proposal that would require Georgia to import low-THC oil from other states rather than allowing in-state production. This is a seriously flawed solution. Not only would federal law enforcement authorities refuse to authorize such a scheme, no other states allow out-of-state exports. Georgia patients will again be left on their own.

Patients lives are in the balance. Call Lt. Gov. Duncan right now and tell him Georgia should not waste time with unworkable proposals for patients.

It is likely this idea will be considered in committee tomorrow, so it is critical the lieutenant governor hear from you before 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. If you plan to call and you haven't already, don't delay!

Since passage of its low-THC oil program in 2015, patients have technically had permission to possess oil, but it has been illegal for them to obtain it from any source. The state is looking for a solution, and lawmakers are considering measure HB 324, which would create a program similar to 33 other states across the U.S. See our summary here. Ideas like interstate trafficking only serve to undermine realistic proposals like HB 324.

If you haven't called the lt. governor already, please do so now. Follow this link and call today to tell him you won't allow it.

Then, pass this email to friends, family, and other medical cannabis supporters in Georgia.