The Maryland General Assembly gaveled out for the year last night, with three cannabis justice bills dying in committee – two employment protection bills and a parole/probation revocation bill.

At least nine legalization states protect cannabis consumers from job discrimination. And most medical cannabis states have protected patients from being fired for using their medicine off hours. The House Economic Matters and Senate Finance Committees held long hearings on Maryland’s employment protection bills — HB 525 and SB 513. Firefighters, union members, and others testified to the need for similar protections in Maryland.

But Del. Jheanelle Wilkins’ HB 525 and Sen. Alonzo Washington’s SB 513 both died in committee, without even getting a vote. Medical cannabis patients and adult-use consumers will continue to be able to be fired for testing positive for metabolites of THC, days or weeks after impairment wears off.

In another blow for cannabis justice, HB 474 died in the House Judiciary Committee, also without having received a vote. The bill would have prevented a person from having their parole, probation, or pre-trial release revoked based on testing positive for cannabis, unless the court or the Maryland Parole Commission made a specific finding that the individual defendant, parolee, or probationer’s use of cannabis could create a danger to the individual or other persons.

A year and a half after Maryland voters broke the record for the most lopsided win for legalization — over 2/3 — their cannabis laws lag behind many others when it comes to cannabis justice. Over the interim, consider meeting with your Maryland state lawmakers to let them know you expect more of the General Assembly next year.

To learn more about cannabis and workers’ protections, join me at the MLK Library next Wednesday, April 17 at 12:45 p.m. I’ll be moderating a panel at the free National Cannabis Festival Policy Summit.

Karen O'Keefe
Director of State Policies
Marijuana Policy Project

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As the legislature sets to adjourn its 2022 legislative session at midnight tonight, cannabis policy reform has crossed the finish line!

On Friday, Gov. Hogan (R) announced that he would let HB 837, “Cannabis Reform,” become law without his signature. As you may recall, the legislature already passed HB 1 — which will refer the question of legalization to voters on the November ballot.

The question that HB 1 lays out to appear on the ballot is: 

“Do you favor the legalization of the use of cannabis by an individual who is at least 21 years of age on or after July 1, 2023, in the State of Maryland?”

If voters approve HB 1 on the ballot, HB 837 will allow residents 21 and older to legally possess up to 1.5 ounces and cultivate up to two plants beginning July 1, 2023. The bill also includes limited expungement, funding for minority- and women-owned businesses, and a community reinvestment and repair fund.

You can check out our summary of the bill here.

Thank you to the lawmakers, advocates, and residents across the state who helped to achieve this big step to finally end cannabis prohibition in the Free State!

We look forward to continuing to work to bring equitable legalization to Marylanders.

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Call Governor Hogan today and ask that he sign HB 837!

It’s been a busy week for cannabis policy reform in Annapolis! The legislature has approved HB 1 — which will refer the question of legalization to voters on the November ballot. Marylanders have long supported legalizing cannabis for adults, and this fall they will have the opportunity to weigh in to end cannabis prohibition in the Free State.

The legislature also approved HB 837 — legislation that would take effect if voters approve legalization. HB 837 would allow residents 21 and older to legally possess up to 1.5 ounces and cultivate up to two plants beginning July 1, 2023. The bills also include limited expungement, funding for minority- and women-owned businesses, and a community reinvestment and repair fund — that would be contingent on voter approval of HB 1.

You can check out our summary of the bills here.

The companion legislation now heads to Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk, where he can sign it into law, let it became law without his signature, or veto the legislation. Call the governor now and ask that he sign HB 837 into law!

Encouragingly, the bills passed with a veto-proof majority (92-37 in the House and 30-15 in the Senate). If the governor vetoed HB 837, there should still be time left in session for the legislature to override a veto before they adjourn on April 11.

Ask Gov. Hogan to stand with the majority of Marylanders and sign HB 837 into law!

Thank you to everyone who helped achieve this historic victory today! Maryland has taken a big step to finally end cannabis prohibition.

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Ask your senator to make sure legalization passes the finish line this year!

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.

All three bills could get a vote on the Senate floor as early as tomorrow morning! Send a message to your senator now and ask them to support legalizing cannabis this year.

HB 837/SB 833 include details for initial steps for legalization — such as possession and home cultivation limits, limited expungement, and funding for minority- and women-owned businesses — that would be contingent on voter approval of HB 1. SB 833 originally went further to set up a regulatory structure for adult-use legalization, but it was amended to mirror HB 837 in committee.

The Senate Finance Committee amended the bills to include several changes from the House-passed version, including adding a community reinvestment and repair fund and ensuring a disparity study is complete before issuing adult-use license applications. Unfortunately, the bill was also amended to increase the fine for public smoking from up to $50 for a first offense and up to $150 for a second offense to up to $250 for a first offense and up to $500 for a second offense.

You can check out our summary of the bills, as amended, here.

The clock is ticking to ensure legalization crosses the finish line this legislative session! Session is set to adjourn on April 11. Because this is an election year, lawmakers will have the opportunity to override vetoes by Gov. Hogan (R) only if the bills reach his desk by the end of this week. Encouragingly, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) has said he expects disagreements between the two chambers on the legislation to be resolved by then.

To help ensure this is the year Maryland moves forward with legalization, email your senator today. Then, forward this message to your friends and family in the state and encourage them to do the same.

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Ask your senator to support cannabis legalization this year!

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. 

HB 1, the bill to refer the question of cannabis legalization for adults’ use to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot, already passed the House in a vote of 96-34. HB 837, the companion bill that would be contingent on voter approval of HB 1, passed the House in a vote of 92-37.

Please email your senator ahead of tomorrow’s hearing and urge them to support legalizing cannabis this year!

HB 837 includes details for initial steps of cannabis legalization, such as possession limits, limited expungement, and funding for minority- and women-owned businesses. It does not set up a licensing or regulatory system, and simple possession and limited home cultivation would not become legal until July 2023. You can check out our summary of HB 837 here and suggestions to improve the legislation here.

If you are interested in providing written testimony for the bills at the hearing tomorrow, you can submit written testimony between 4 p.m. today and 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Here you can find full instructions on how to submit written testimony. Oral testimony at the hearing will be sponsor-only and led by HB 1 and HB 837 sponsor and House Judiciary Chair Luke Clippinger.

We’re in the final stretch, as the legislative session is set to adjourn on April 11. Help ensure cannabis legalization crosses the finish line this year by reaching out to your senators today and raising your voice in written testimony at the hearing tomorrow.

Please share this message with Marylanders in your networks and encourage them to do the same!

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Ask your senator to support legalizing cannabis this year!

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.

HB 1, the bill to refer the question of cannabis legalization for adults’ use to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot, passed the House in a vote of 96-34. HB 837, the companion bill that would be contingent on voter approval of HB 1, passed the House in a vote of 92-37.

HB 837 includes details for initial steps of cannabis legalization, such as possession limits, limited expungement, and funding for minority- and women-owned businesses. It does not set up a licensing or regulatory system, and simple possession and limited home cultivation would not become legal until July 2023. You can check out our summary of HB 837 here.

Meanwhile, the Senate is set to begin taking up their own bills to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults next week. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing for Sen. Jill Carter’s SB 692 and Sen. Brian Feldman’s SB 833 on Thursday, March 3 at 1 p.m.

The hearing will be held in person and streamed live on YouTube. To provide written and/or oral testimony at the hearing, you must sign up using an MGA account. A tutorial on how to do so is available here. All oral testimony is limited to two minutes.

In addition to legalizing simple possession and home cultivation, both Senate bills would also establish a regulatory framework for an equitable adult-use market—which is not included in the House package. You can check out our summary of SB 692 here, and a summary of SB 833 here. Our feedback on SB 833 is available here.  

Thank you to everyone who advocated to improve the House bills and to achieve today’s historic milestone! Next stop is the Senate. Please consider testifying at the Senate Finance hearing next week in support of equitable legalization without delay and reach out to your senators ahead of the hearing.

Together, we can end prohibition in the Free State!

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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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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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Ask your lawmakers to legalize cannabis in 2022 without delay!

We’re just one week out from the Maryland General Assembly kicking off its 2022 legislative session, and cannabis legalization will be a major priority for the legislature this year.

Most recently, a bill — HB 1 — that would refer the question of cannabis legalization to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot has been pre-filed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Luke Clippinger. The House has been interested in the pathway of referring the question of legalization to voters, as House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D) announced in July 2021 that the House intends to pass a referendum bill this year.

While it’s encouraging that the House is committed to taking up adult-use cannabis legalization this year, HB 1, as currently written, lacks the major priorities that the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition has been advocating for. Most notably, HB 1 would not legalize cannabis possession until July 2023, does not include personal cultivation of cannabis, and does not specify that legalization must be rooted in equity.

It’s important your lawmakers hear from you. Please reach out to them today and ask that they legalize cannabis this year without delay!

Meanwhile, the Senate prefers to pass legalization outright through legislation. As a referendum alone will not implement an adult-use cannabis program that is equitable, implementing legislation that sets up the regulatory framework, tax structure, automatic expungement process, and provisions to ensure those who have been most impacted by prohibition benefit from the legal industry must also be taken up in 2022.

Please reach out to your lawmakers today and stay tuned for future updates.

Together, we can end cannabis prohibition in the Free State!

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