Welcome to the latest edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Roundup!
This week, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (D) signed legislation into law easing marijuana possession penalties for minors and amending the state’s per se driving limits for THC.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D) signed a bill into law to regulate marijuana delivery services in the state.
Following are new legislative developments from the past week, and as always, check NORML’s Action Center for legislation pending in your state, and the NORML blog for regular updates.
Don’t forget to sign up for the NORML email list, and we will keep you posted as these bills and more move through your home state legislature and U.S. Congress.
Your Highness,
Carly
Actions to Take
Federal
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, along with Cannabis Caucus co-Chairs Earl Blumenauer and Barbara Lee, and others re-introduced the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act of 2021, better known as The MORE Act. The Act repeals the long-standing federal prohibition of marijuana — thereby ending the existing state/federal conflict in cannabis policies and providing state governments with greater authority to regulate marijuana-related activities.
Contact your lawmakers in support of The MORE Act now
Delaware
House Bill 150 is pending to legalize and regulate adult use marijuana in Delaware!
The bill would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, and also includes provisions expanding expungement eligibility for those with past marijuana related convictions.
Update: HB 150 was already approved by the House Appropriations Committee on 6/4/21, and will head to the House floor next.
DE resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in support of legalization
Colorado
House Bill 1317 seeks to place undue limitations upon patients’ medical cannabis access.
It provides overly burdensome requirements upon physicians issuing medical cannabis recommendations. For the first time ever, it requires physicians to create an explicit dosing regimen for patients. It also requires health care providers to conduct a “full assessment” of the patients’ “mental health history,” even in cases where patients have no pre-existing or underlying mental health issues.
For those patients ages 18 to 20, it requires “two physicians from two different medical practices … to diagnose the patient as having a debilitating or disabling medical condition after an in-person consultation.”
Update: HB 1317 was approved by the Senate on 6/3/21. It must be approved by the House again on concurrence before it can head to the governor’s desk.
CO resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in opposition to unreasonable restrictions
Connecticut
Backed by Governor Lamont, Senate Bill 888 would legalize and regulate adult use marijuana.
Update: Lawmakers have come to a new agreement with Governor Lamont on provisions of a soon-to-be released marijuana legalization bill. The main differences surround social equity provisions. The bill would have to be passed by the legislature by Wednesday 6/9/21 in order to become law this year.
CT resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in support of equitable legalization
Louisiana
Legislation is pending which seeks to reduce penalties for the low-level possession of marijuana.
House Bill 652 would reduce the penalty for the possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana from up to 15 days in jail and a maximum $300 fine, to a $100 fine only.
Update: HB 652 was scheduled for consideration on the Senate floor on 6/3/21, but was delayed until 6/6/21.
LA resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in support of decriminalization
Legislation is pending, House Bill 391, which would repeal the prohibition on physicians recommending medical marijuana for “inhalation” and in “raw or crude” form.
It also allows dispensaries to dispense two and a half ounces of marijuana per 14 day period.
Update: HB 391 was approved by the House on concurrence on 6/2/21, and will now head to the governor’s desk.
LA resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in support of medical expansion
Nevada
Assembly Bill 341 would allow for the licensure of businesses as “cannabis consumption lounges” that would permit cannabis to be consumed on-site.
Update: AB 341 was approved by the Senate and Assembly again on concurrence, and now heads to the governor’s desk.
NV resident? Send a message to your lawmakers in support of social consumption
