Earlier today, the Senate Finance Committee approved HB 1 (7-4), which would allow voters to decide whether to legalize cannabis for adults’ use in November 2022. And, earlier this week, both the Senate Finance and Senate Budget and Taxation Committees approved HB 837/SB 833 — twin bills that would take effect if voters approve legalization.

The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on HB 1 and HB 837 — a pair of bills that would allow voters to decide whether to legalize cannabis for adults’ use in November 2022. The hearing will begin at 1 p.m. and will be available to view online here.

Unfortunately, HB 305, a bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults 21 and older, fell just two votes short of the needed supermajority (25 votes) to clear the House yesterday. The final vote count was 23 yes, 14 no, and 4 not voting.  

Big news! HB 305, a bill to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults in Delaware, is scheduled for a vote by the full House of Representatives. The vote is scheduled for TOMORROW, Thursday, March 10. Debate begins at 2 p.m.

At 2:00 p.m. ET this afternoon, the Yes We Cannabis RI Coalition will kick off the first in a series of three online educational panels focused on cannabis legalization and social equity. Today’s event, titled “Seeds of Hope: Repairing the Harm,” will feature a discussion about automatic record clearance for past cannabis offenses and other reforms to the criminal legal system. The event will be moderated by Cherie Cruz of the Formerly Incarcerated Union of Rhode Island.

Yesterday, Rep. Scott Slater and Sen. Josh Miller, along with many cosponsors in the House and Senate, formally introduced a pair of identical bills (S 2430 and H 7593) to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults 21 and older in Rhode Island. 

A special election is being held on Saturday, March 5 to fill a vacancy to replace former Representative Gerald Brady in the 4th House District (Wilmington).

On Thursday, March 3, the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1598, which would  legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older and create a state-run monopoly to sell cannabis. (The full House approved the bill once, but then re-referred it to Ways and Means due to its fiscal impact.)

Alarming news! Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., the Florida Senate Rules Committee will hear SJR 1412. If enacted, SJR 1412 would severely limit the rights of citizens to participate in democracy through the ballot initiative process! If the proposal becomes law, it will prevent a ballot measure on cannabis legalization.

Today, the House of Delegates approved a pair of bills that would allow voters to decide whether to legalize cannabis for adults’ use in November 2022. This historic vote marks the first time either chamber in Maryland’s legislature has voted on a bill that would legalize cannabis.