Now is the time to let your legislators know you support medical cannabis!

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee advanced  HB 136 — the medical cannabis bill — in a 15-1 vote. It now heads to the House floor, which has passed similar bills in past years. 

The issue has never gotten a vote in the Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer has stated that he will not get “in the way” if a medical cannabis bill has sufficient Republican support for a vote in the Senate. It’s crucial that you engage with your legislators. HB 136 is a solid bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes (R), who has been a champion for medical cannabis for years. 

Please write your state legislators in support of medical cannabis! HB 136 is the best bet to move cannabis reform forward in 2022. Time is running out for this year’s session, so your voice is critical.

Help spread the word on this historic bill by forwarding this message to your friends and family in Kentucky!

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Ask your lawmakers to legalize cannabis this year without delay!

The Maryland House Judiciary Committee just approved HB 1, legislation that would refer the question of legalization to voters on the ballot in November, and its companion, HB 837! The bills will now head to the full House for consideration.

HB 837 includes details for initial steps of cannabis legalization — such as possession limits, limited expungement, and funding for minority- and women-owned businesses — that would be contingent on voter approval of HB 1. It does not set up a licensing or regulatory system. Simple possession would not become legal until July 2023.

The committee approved several amendments to improve HB 837, including:

• an amendment allowing adults to share personal-use amounts;
• an amendment to lower the maximum fine for public smoking from $500 to $50 for a first offense and $150 for a second offense;
• an amendment to allow possession of 12 grams of cannabis concentrates and infused products containing no more than 750 milligrams of THC, in addition to 1.5 ounces of flower; and
• an amendment allowing adults to securely and discreetly cultivate up to two plants.

You can check out our full summary of HB 837, as amended, here.

While these amendments are certainly improvements, there are still improvements we’d like to see. Notably, possession would still not become legal until eight months after voter approval of the referendum. To further reduce police interactions and citations for cannabis, possession should become legal immediately upon voter approval. In addition, we would like the implementing law to include equity-focused legalization of sales.

Please reach out to your lawmakers and ask them legalize cannabis this year without delay!

Thank you to everyone who testified at Monday’s hearing on HB 1 and HB 837 and to those who participated in our lobby days this week! Our advocacy efforts are proving successful.

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­­Tell your lawmakers to vote “NO” on HB 95!

Alarming news. A bill that would harm cannabis consumers and communities of color could get a vote in the Florida House of Representatives as soon as Tuesday!

Let your states legislators know they should be rolling back — not increasing — cannabis penalties.

Last year, Rep. Scott Plakon (R) and Rep. Webster Barnaby (R) authored HB 95, which would 1) charge a person who illegally distributes a controlled substance to someone who later dies with murder, and 2) enhance the penalties to 10-15 years in prison for possession with intent to sell a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a number of healthcare and substance abuse facilities.

Despite adopting medical cannabis in 2016, cannabis is still considered a controlled substance under Florida law. Cannabis doesn’t cause fatal overdoses, but HB 95 could potentially result in a person who shared a joint with a friend being convicted of murder if their friend irresponsibly drove while impaired and died as a result.

More troubling is the second goal of HB 95, which would disproportionately impact densely populated, urban centers that many of Florida’s health facilities and communities of color call home.

HB 95 was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee last month on a 14-6 vote and has been added to the House special calendar for Tuesday, February 22. It could receive a vote that day. 

That’s why we’re urging you to contact your state representative and tell them to vote “NO” on HB 95. Alternatively, we’re also asking lawmakers to amend HB 95 to exempt cannabis. After emailing your state representative, consider urging your friends and family to do the same. 

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Ask your lawmakers to legalize cannabis in 2022 without delay!

As the cannabis legalization effort begins to pick up in the House, we’re hosting virtual lobby days next Wednesday and Thursday for constituents to meet with their lawmakers and let them know this issue is important to them.

Lobby days will start at 8 a.m. on both Wednesday, February 16 and Thursday, February 17. If you're available to join a meeting with lawmakers for any length of time during these lobby days, please register here. We'll follow up to confirm what time(s) you're available.

It’s important your lawmakers hear from you! Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with them and raise your voice in support of equitable legalization. You can check out some tips for lobbying on cannabis legalization here.

As a reminder, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear both HB 1 and HB 837 — companion legislation to refer the question of legalization to voters on the November ballot — on Monday, February 14 at 10 a.m. The hearing is virtual, and you can tune in on the legislature’s website.

You can check out our summary of HB 837 here. While we’re encouraged the House is prioritizing legalization and implementation, we’re urging the legislature to strengthen the bills. Sharing, home cultivation, and making brownies at home would remain jailable offenses, and possession wouldn’t become legal until a year from July. You can also check out our suggestions to improve HB 837 here to help us advocate for these changes at lobby days. 

Be sure to reach out to your lawmakers in support of equitable legalization before the hearing, and we hope to see you at our lobby days next week.

Together, we can end cannabis prohibition in Maryland!

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Ask your lawmakers to legalize cannabis in 2022 without delay!

Delegate Luke Clippinger, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has filed HB 837, which will serve as companion legislation to HB 1, a bill that would refer the question of cannabis legalization to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot.

You can check out our full summary of the companion bill here.

While it’s encouraging that the House will consider companion legislation to the referendum, it still lacks the major priorities that the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition has been advocating for. As currently written, adults could not legally possess cannabis until July 2023, and home cultivation would carry a criminal penalty of up to three years' imprisonment.

There are several changes to the bill that we think would establish an equitable cannabis policy in Maryland. You can check out our suggestions to improve HB 837 here.

Please reach out to your lawmakers and ask them to legalize possession immediately and allow adults to cultivate a small number of plants!

A virtual hearing has been scheduled for both HB 1 and HB 837 in the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, February 14 at 10 a.m. We encourage folks to provide written and/or oral testimony at the hearing. You must sign up to testify 48 hours before the hearing — the sign-up will be open on Thursday, February 10 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here you can find more information and a video tutorial on signing up to testify.

It’s important your lawmakers hear from their constituents. Please reach out to your lawmakers and ask them to legalize cannabis this year without delay and consider raising your voice in support of equitable legalization at the hearing on February 14.

We expect Senate bills on cannabis legalization to be dropped soon, so stay tuned for updates from the Senate too!

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Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on an automatic expungement bill.

Tomorrow at 6:00 p.m., state lawmakers are holding a public hearing on H 5307 (along with several other bills) in the House Judiciary Committee.

This legislation, introduced by Rep. Anastasia Williams and co-sponsored by other members of the House, would direct the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies to expunge all past misdemeanors and felony cases involving cannabis. Individuals would not be required to pay any fees to have their records cleared.

Arrest records for cannabis possession can be a long-term barrier to housing, employment, and vital services. This legislation would positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders who have prior cannabis possession convictions.

Please support H 5307 by emailing supportive testimony to HouseJudiciary@rilegislature.gov. Be sure to include your name, the bill number, and your viewpoint (“support”) at the top of the message. You must submit your email testimony by 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. You can also testify during the hearing by phone if you sign up here by 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

If you or someone you know has experienced hardship as a result of a prior cannabis arrest, please consider testifying in support of this important legislation.

Thank you.

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Contact your lawmakers today and ask them to support HB 32.

On Tuesday, February 16, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Del. Jazz Lewis’ HB 32 to legalize and regulate cannabis equitably in Maryland.

You can check out the hearing here if you missed it. Del. Lewis also offered several amendments to the bill in committee. You can check out our full summary of the bill as amended here.

Now is the time to make sure your lawmakers hear from you! Please email them today and ask them to support HB 32.

Maryland’s neighbor, Virginia, is getting closer to legalizing cannabis this year. Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly approved legalization bills earlier this month.

Let your lawmakers know that Maryland should follow suit by passing HB 32 this session! The longer the legislature waits, the more Marylanders will be needlessly arrested and cited for cannabis offenses. And as long as the state delays, consumers will only have access to the unregulated and dangerous illicit market, and the state will miss out on generating millions of dollars in tax revenue.

After you email your lawmakers, please share this action on social media and encourage your friends and family in Maryland to do the same.

Together, we can end prohibition in the Free State!

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Legislators are also nearing final agreement on the bill to legalize and regulate sales — ask your legislators to support S. 54, then call Gov. Phil Scott and ask that he sign both bills into law!

The Vermont House of Representatives took a huge step forward today when it voted to approve S. 234, a bill that will automatically expunge all criminal records for past cannabis possession offenses. The bill also decriminalizes possession of cannabis in amounts that modestly exceed the legal limit, which will minimize the possibility that a person could risk criminal penalties for a small mistake.

Separately but concurrently, legislators have come very close to reaching final agreement on the details of S. 54, the bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales. Please write your representatives and senators and urge them to support final passage of both bills! Then, call Gov. Phil Scott and encourage him to sign them when they reach his desk.

The Senate has already approved S. 234. Since the bill was amended by the House, it will return to the Senate for a final vote before it proceeds to the governor’s desk. You can read a summary of the bill here. VCRM director Laura Subin recently testified in support of this bill in the House Judiciary Committee (via Zoom) and did an excellent job explaining the importance of automatically expunging records!

The conference committee on S. 54 has reached a compromise on all issues except whether or not to include a local option tax in addition to state taxes. The legislators are expected to finalize the details of their agreement at their next meeting. A revised summary of the bill’s key provisions is available here.

Again, please contact your state legislators and urge them to support passage of both of these bills, then call Gov. Scott’s office and encourage him to sign them. After you do so, please share this message with your family and friends!

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Urge your state legislators to work with new Governor Andy Beshear and pass a medical cannabis law in 2020!

After years of frustration for patients and advocates in Kentucky, it’s possible that lawmakers in Frankfort will finally pass a medical cannabis law during the 2020 legislative session, which begins today. Last year, the House Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis bill, but time ran out, and it did not receive a floor vote.

Please write your legislators today and urge them to legalize medical cannabis in 2020!

Rep. Jason Nemes has already pre-filed a bill on this subject, and newly elected Governor Andy Beshear has indicated that he strongly supports medical cannabis. However, some legislative leaders — including Senate President Robert Stivers — remain opposed, so the challenge for advocates will be getting a bill through the legislature and to the governor’s desk.

It’s critical that legislators hear from their constituents who support medical cannabis. After you write your legislators, please share this message with your friends and family.

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Andy Beshear voiced strong support for reform throughout his campaign — contact your legislators today and urge them to work with the new governor to pass a medical cannabis law!

After years of frustration, advocates for medical cannabis may finally have their best chance to succeed in the 2020 legislative session. Newly elected Governor Andy Beshear has indicated that he strongly supports medical cannabis, so the challenge will be getting a bill through the legislature and to the governor’s desk.

Rep. Jason Nemes has already pre-filed a medical cannabis bill in advance of the legislative session, which begins January 7. Last year, the House Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis bill, but time ran out, and it never received a floor vote. Please write your legislators today and urge them to legalize medical cannabis in 2020!

After you write your legislators, please share this message with your friends and family.

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