S. 25 creates a Cannabis Business Development Fund to assist social equity applicants.

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 Fund to assist these applicants.  

The bill also modifies sections of the law dealing with advertising and other aspects of cannabis regulation. Before passing S. 25, the House removed a provision that would have incentivized municipalities to vote on whether to approve retail sales by March 2023.

In other news, the three-person Cannabis Control Board has begun working to develop regulations for Vermont’s adult-use cannabis market.

Now that Vermont has legalized cannabis and is well on its way to establishing a well-regulated, equitable market, we believe the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana has succeeded in fulfilling its purpose. Many thanks to Laura Subin, the Necrason Group, and all of our coalition members and allies who worked so hard to end cannabis prohibition in the Green Mountain State!

This will be the final email from the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana. However, we will continue to send you updates from the Marijuana Policy Project from time to time. It is still imperative that we end the federal war on cannabis, which tears families apart, drives up costs for patients and consumers, and makes local equity efforts more difficult.

We are very grateful for your support, without which this important victory would not have been possible.

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Automatic expungement bill signed; cannabis prohibition will soon be history in Vermont, which becomes the 11th state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis

On October 7, 2020, Gov. Phil Scott announced that he will allow S. 54, the bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales, to become law without his signature. This means we can all finally breathe a sigh of relief and begin to celebrate the end of cannabis prohibition in Vermont!

Although much work remains before Vermont can establish a responsible, equitable market for cannabis, the governor’s decision represents a huge step forward for the state. Instead of being forced to start over with a whole new bill in 2021, Vermont will soon begin creating a Cannabis Control Board that will license businesses and regulate the sale of both medical and adult-use cannabis.

The governor’s statement on S. 54 is available here.

For more information on the details of Vermont’s new cannabis regulation law, here is a summary.

Gov. Scott did sign another important cannabis policy reform bill. S. 234, which will automatically expunge records for past misdemeanor cannabis offenses and decriminalize amounts modestly in excess of the possession limit.

We’re especially grateful to the many legislative leaders who have championed this policy, to Laura Subin for her tireless efforts leading this coalition, and to our outstanding lobbyists at the Necrason Group for all their efforts.

And we’re also very grateful to all of you who made calls, sent emails, and spread the word about the importance of ending cannabis prohibition in Vermont. Your advocacy, donations, and commitment to the cause make the work that we do possible. But this isn’t the end of the road—there is more work to be done. Help MPP keep up the momentum by chipping in today.

A number of states have enacted cannabis legalization through ballot measures. But so far, only Illinois -- where MPP also played a central role -- and now Vermont have fully legalized cannabis via the legislative process. In the coming year, as many as 10 other states are expected to seriously consider ending cannabis prohibition via their legislatures.

That’s why your support is so important. Together, we’ve built the momentum that will help us continue this fight in states across the country and on Capitol Hill. Even at this very moment, Congress is considering legislation that would end cannabis prohibition and expunge all cannabis-related arrests, charges, and convictions federally.

Please share this excellent news with your family and friends!

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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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Mark your calendar for a panel discussion December 5 and a state house advocacy day on January 9 — then write your representatives and tell them Vermont urgently needs to begin regulating cannabis in early 2020!

The Vermont House of Representatives missed an important opportunity when it adjourned in May without taking action on S. 54, the bill that would legalize and regulate cannabis sales in Vermont. Fortunately, House leaders have said the bill — which has already passed the Senate 23-5 — will be “a top priority” when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Gov. Phil Scott still has not pledged his support for S. 54, so advocates are not taking success in 2020 for granted. To keep the discussion going, Attorney General T.J. Donovan’s office will be hosting a public forum on the issue on Thursday, December 5. Here are the details:

WHAT: Conversation about Cannabis: Lessons from our Neighbors

WHERE: Contois Auditorium, 149 Church Street, Burlington

WHEN: Thursday, December 5, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. 

WHO: Erik Gunderson, Maine Office of Marijuana Policy
Kevin Conroy, Foley Hoag
Charlotte Hanna, Community Growth Partners
Laura Subin, Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana
Joe Bergeron, Association of Vermont Credit Unions
David Mickenberg, Mickenberg, Dunn, and Smith, PLC

You can read a summary of S. 54, as approved by the House Government Operations Committee, here.

Please also mark your calendars for January 9, 2020. We will be kicking off the legislative session with a lobby day at the State House starting at 8:00 a.m., joined by our allies at Heady Vermont and other key coalition members, and we would love to have you join us. You can RSVP here.

Finally, please contact your representatives now and urge them to support passage of S. 54. Then, share this message with your family and friends!

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