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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Gov. Phil Scott said this week that he remains undecided — please email or call him today!

Yesterday, the bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales landed on the desk of Gov. Phil Scott. He will have until Wednesday to sign or veto it — if he takes no action, it will become law without his signature.

Please call or email Gov. Scott today and urge him to sign S. 54!

During a debate on Wednesday evening, Gov. Scott made this alarming statement: “In terms of the pot bill, I haven’t made up my mind about that. I have received a lot of groups—racial equity groups—that are asking me to veto it. I was leaning towards letting it go, but I’m really questioning that at this point. I want to hear and listen from them.”

Although we respect the fact that others may disagree, we feel strongly that S. 54 represents an important step forward for racial and social equity. In a recent op-ed, MPP’s executive director Steve Hawkins explained why he views passage of S. 54 — and its companion bill, S. 234 — as “a racial justice imperative.” And in another excellent op-ed, Monica Donovan explained the bill’s equity provisions and warned that, "the insistence on waiting for a perfect bill would simply result in perpetuating this state of pseudo-legalization — and the harm it perpetuates — for at least an extra year."

For more information on the details of S. 54, here is a summary.

We believe it would be a terrible setback if Gov. Scott vetoes this bill, perpetuating the intolerable status quo. Please share this news with your family and friends and urge them to contact the governor.

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The bill to legalize retail sales and the bill to automatically expunge records for past offenses are both advancing to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott — please call him today and encourage him to sign them into law!

The bill to legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use cannabis sales cleared its final legislative hurdle this morning when the Senate approved it in a final vote of 23-6. The Senate also granted final approval to the bill that would automatically expunge records for past low-level cannabis offenses, in a voice vote. Both bills will now proceed to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott.

Please take a moment to call Gov. Phil Scott at 802-828-3333 and encourage him to sign both bills when they reach his desk!

If you’d like to learn more about the details of these bills, here is a summary of the bill to legalize and regulate sales (S. 54) and here is a summary of the bill that includes the automatic expungement provisions (S. 234).

The process of reaching a compromise on S. 54 was especially challenging for both legislators and advocates, and we are very grateful to the representatives and senators who worked on this bill for their dedication. Although the final bill is not perfect, it is a very important step forward, and it would be a terrible shame if Gov. Scott decides not to sign it into law.

Again, please call Gov. Scott’s office and encourage him to sign both S. 54 and S. 234. After you do so, please share this message 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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