State Bills

The California Senate has approved a bill that would prohibit employers from asking job applicants about prior marijuana use. After moving through four committees, the legislation from Sen. Steven Bradford (D) passed on the floor in a 29-9 vote on Tuesday, sending it to the Assembly for consideration. It would build on existing employment protections enacted last session that bar employers from penalizing most workers for using cannabis in compliance with state law off the job. “It is unlawful for an employer… Read more.

Texas House-passed bills to decriminalize marijuana, facilitate expungements and allow chronic pain patients to access medical cannabis as an opioid alternative are officially dead for the year with Senate leadership refusing to bring up the measures for consideration ahead of Monday’s end of the legislative session. Advocates had held out hope that the Senate would be more amenable to the modest reforms this session than in the past, but Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who presides over the chamber, continued… Read more.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) on Tuesday signed legislation extending the state’s moratorium on cannabis licenses for another two years, KTVH reports. Under the law, the moratorium only allows medical cannabis companies that were licensed as of 2020 to obtain adult-use licenses.  The measure does include language that will allow 16 medical cannabis providers to join the state’s adult-use market, which had been in limbo due to the timing of the adult-use licensing process and the first moratorium. Gianforte also signed a bill allowing the… Read more.

The Minnesota legislature has sent a large-scale health policy bill to the governor that contains provisions to create a psychedelics task force meant to prepare the state for possible legalization. About one month after the House initially passed the omnibus legislation including language similar to a standalone psychedelics measure sponsored by Rep. Andy Smith (D), both chambers passed a bicamerally negotiated conference report on Monday that retains the provisions. It first cleared the Senate in a 34-32 vote. The House followed suit… Read more.

A bill proposed in the Pennsylvania House last week would protect medical cannabis patients from being charged with driving under the influence charges simply for testing positive for THC, Capitol Wire reports. The measure only covers Pennsylvania-registered medical cannabis patients and does not protect drivers who ate impaired by cannabis whether they are medical cannabis patients or not.  In a cosponsor memo, state Reps Chris Rabb (D) and Aaron Kaufer (R), said medical cannabis patients “regularly” contact their offices “concerned that state… Read more.

The New Hampshire Senate has voted to create a study commission to examine potential models to legalize marijuana as the as the governor predicts that his plan to create a state-run cannabis market will likely be considered by lawmakers “next year.” Meanwhile, senators moved to set aside another House-passed marijuana legalization bill—though representatives are now discussing pursuing compromise legislation next week that would provide for a combination of state-operated and privately licensed cannabis shops while also allowing current medical cannabis… Read more.

The Minnesota legislature has approved large-scale legislation that contains provisions to legalize drug paraphernalia possession, syringe services, residue and testing—a win for harm reduction advocates in the state. As part of a criminal justice and public safety omnibus bill, bicameral lawmakers agreed to a final conference report last week that includes the drug policy reform measures. The Senate passed the report on Friday and the House approved it on Monday in a 69-63 vote, sending it to the governor’s desk.… Read more.

The Florida legislature signaled a move toward increased access and inclusivity in Florida's medical marijuana market. Florida’s medical marijuana market is poised for expansion following the passage of a bill that extends the renewal of marijuana prescriptions over telehealth and authorizes nearly a dozen additional licenses for Black farmers to enter the cannabis industry. The bill, HB 387, passed with bipartisan support in the House with a 105-8 vote. It had previously cleared the Senate with strong support. The move is… Read more.

An effort to roll out Colorado's legal psychedelics industry cleared its last major legislative hurdle on Saturday with the House's passage of Senate Bill 290.  If made law, the bill would help to implement Proposition 122, passed by Colorado voters in November. The ballot measure legalized the “magic mushroom” hallucinogenic compounds psilocybin and psilocin for medicinal use, and decriminalized the personal use, sharing or growing of the compounds and other "natural medicines."  The bill will next be sent back to the… Read more.

The firm has made meaningful strides in its early clinical runway as it gears up for government-funded studies. Toronto-based Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (OTC: AWKNF), a biotech company focused on addiction treatments, reported a heft 534% rise in annual revenue for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, which they attribute to the strong performance of their clinics. The company pulled in $1.5 million in annual revenue, a 534% increase year-on-year, with $471,813 in the fourth quarter, a 131% increase sequentially. Net loss for the… Read more.

Initially, only psilocybin and psilocyn would be allowed at therapeutic centers. The Colorado Senate approved a bill to regulate psychedelic substances, in line with a voter-endorsed initiative. The legislation aims to establish guidelines for legal psychedelic use in authorized therapeutic centers under trained professionals’ supervision. Additionally, the bill sets licensing standards for facilitators and businesses involved in producing, testing, storing, distributing, and transporting natural medicine products. The measure passed during a voice vote after amendments in its second reading on Monday. The bill passed… Read more.

State lawmakers have until July to pass a new drug possession statute in response to a 2021 Supreme Court decision that invalidated the old law. Since the Legislature failed to pass a compromise bill on Sunday night before the 2023 regular session ended, a special session likely will be called to finish this work. Senate Bill 5536, one of the last bills debated in the 105-day legislative session, failed 43-55 in the Democratic-controlled House. Several Democratic lawmakers voted against the… Read more.

The top North Carolina House lawmaker says that medical marijuana legalization has “a better chance of passing this year than in any time in the past,” and he expects a Senate-passed reform bill to be taken up by his chamber’s Republican caucus within the next month. While the GOP-controlled House has previously blocked medical cannabis legislation from advancing, House Speaker Tim Moore (R) said that its prospects have improved, with a floor vote possible depending on where Republican members ultimately… Read more.

The Texas House of Representatives will vote on a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession and create a process for expunging cannabis conviction records next week. About a month and a half after the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee unanimously passed the legislation, the Calendars Committee has officially scheduled it for floor consideration on Wednesday, April 26. The measure from Rep. Joe Moody (D) would remove the risk of arrest or jail time for low-level possession of cannabis and allow people to eventually erase… Read more.

Illinois lawmakers are considering bills that would ban police from searching vehicles based solely on the odor of cannabis and allow some people on probation to use cannabis and alcohol, Capitol News Illinois reports. The bill prohibiting police from searching vehicles based on cannabis odor would still allow the practice for drivers under 21-years-old.  During floor debate on the vehicle search reform bill, State Sen. Rachel Ventura (D) said “People – especially people of color – are unnecessarily pulled over far too… Read more.

A bill to allow interstate marijuana commerce in Washington State is officially heading to the governor’s desk. The House approved the Senate-passed legislation from Sen. Ann Rivers (R) on Wednesday, but members adopted a minor amendment that required concurrence from the opposite chamber. That happened on Friday, meaning the bill is now on its way to Gov. Jay Inslee (D) for his signature. The measure would allow the governor to enter into agreement with other legal cannabis states, pending a federal policy change “to… Read more.

Nevada lawmakers have approved a revised bill that would create a new working group to study psychedelics and develop a plan to allow regulated access for therapeutic purposes. While the legislation before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee as introduced would have legalized psilocybin and promoted research into the psychedelic, as well as encouraged studies of MDMA, the panel adopted an amendment that scales it back significantly. As approved in a voice vote on Thursday, Sen. Rochelle Nguyen’s (D)… Read more.

In an interview with the Conway Daily Sun on Thursday, New Hampshire Senate President Jeb Bradley (R) predicted the chamber would not pass the cannabis legalization law approved by the House last week. The House has passed an adult-use cannabis legalization bill three times, but the reforms have never been approved by the Senate.  Bradley added that “in the middle of a drug crisis,” he doesn’t “think it’s a good idea to legalize more drugs.”  State Rep. Michael Costable (R) told the Daily Sun… Read more.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is expected to sign into law before a key Monday deadline legislation that sets regulations for adult-use marijuana sales and cultivation, just in time for the first legal sales to begin July 1. Maryland residents voted overwhelmingly last November to legalize adult-use cannabis. But the industry-funded ballot initiative left vital details – including licensing, taxation and whether the state’s existing medical cannabis businesses would get first crack at what could be a $2.1 billion market by 2027 – to state lawmakers. After months of debate –… Read more.

Washington state lawmakers have approved a measure that prohibits denying an individual a job due to their off-the-clock cannabis use, the Washington State Journal reports. The measure still requires reconciliation as the House version excludes safety-sensitive positions – such as first responders or corrections officers – from protection under the bill, while the Senate version does not include those exemptions. Both bills would prohibit discrimination from employers in the hiring process if it is based on an applicant’s cannabis use off-the-clock or if an employment drug… Read more.

The New Hampshire House on Thursday passed an adult-use legalization bill by a 272-109 vote, The Center Square reports. The measure moves next to the state Senate.  New Hampshire is the lone New England state to not allow cannabis sales to adults.   In a statement, Republican Rep. Jason Obsorne, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said he is “pleased to see New Hampshire take a step toward relieving gangsters and thugs from control of this market” and keep “dangerous untested products away from consumers, and… Read more.

The governor of New Mexico has approved a bill to fulfill a key goal of the state’s marijuana legalization law by facilitating automatic expungements for prior cannabis convictions. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed the legislation from Reps. Andrea Romero (D) and Javier Martínez (D) late last week. While the legislature did include automatic expungements and resentencing provisions in the state’s 2021 legalization law, the courts have experienced technical issues with processing certain cases. The now-signed bill seeks to resolve those problems… Read more.

A bill to allow psychedelic therapies in Washington state has stalled, but lawmakers are considering legislation to allow military veterans and first responders to access a pilot program for the treatment, the Seattle Times reports. The pilot program bill has passed the Senate and last week was approved by the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness.  Under the measure, pilot program participants would have to be 21 and older, and have experienced substance use disorder, depression or anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.… Read more.

The Missouri House last week approved a measure that would require the state to conduct studies on psilocybin to treat depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, or use as part of end-of-life care, the Missouri Independent reports.   This bill requires the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to provide more than $2 million in grants for the research, subject to lawmakers approving the appropriation. The state would collaborate on the study with a Missouri university hospital or medical center operated by the U.S.… Read more.

A Montana Senate committee on Thursday voted to table a controversial bill that aimed to eliminate adult-use cannabis sales in the state, the Montana Free Press reports. The measure also included a provision to raise the tax on medical cannabis products from 4% to 20%.  The Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee voted 6-4 to table the bill with Senate President Jason Ellsworth, Committee Chair Jason Small, and Sen. Walt Sales – all Republicans – joining all three Democratic members to oppose the bill.… Read more.

As the winds of change blow across the United States, many states have lifted their bans on recreational cannabis. However, not every state has embraced the green wave with open arms. Despite the growing popularity of cannabis and its proven medical benefits, some states remain resistant to legalizing recreational use. Whether it's a concern for public health, public safety, or a reluctance to break tradition, these states have chosen to swim against legalization. So, while some states are blazing a trail… Read more.

A 14th Minnesota House committee has approved a bill to legalize marijuana, after members adopted a large-scale amendment to overhaul various tax provisions of the legislation. The House Taxes Committee passed the measure from Rep. Zack Stephenson (D) in a voice vote on Thursday. Members also received a much-anticipated fiscal note and revenue projection ahead of the meeting. One of the main changes that was adopted as part of an amendment from the sponsor would gradually decrease the tax rate… Read more.

The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) says that it would be prudent for the state to legalize certain psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA to prepare for a likely federal policy change allowing their use for medical treatment. At a hearing before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee last week, DOH testified on a pair of resolutions that call for the establishment of an advisory council to study and make recommendations on approving psychedelic medicines. Members of the panel ultimately… Read more.

South Carolina lawmakers and advocates aren’t giving up the push to legalize medical marijuana just yet, and they’re imploring leadership to take up a GOP-led reform bill ahead of a key legislative deadline this week. At a press conference on Tuesday, supporters of the legislation from Sen. Tom Davis (R) stressed the urgency of getting the reform enacted this year, with a deadline set coming up on Thursday to get the bill out of the Senate and over to the… Read more.

A Maryland Senate committee has amended and approved a marijuana sales bill to get the state ready for the implementation of a voter-approved legalization referendum, sending it to the floor—where a vote is expected this week. At a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, members passed the legislation from Sens. Brian Feldman (D) and Antonio Hayes (D) in a 7-2 vote. Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) said last week that there were a number of issues that lawmakers needed to address before advancing… Read more.

A bill to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire is going back to the House floor after a second committee passed the legislation with amendments on Monday. The proposal, which is being sponsored by Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R) and Minority Leader Matthew Wilhelm (D), cleared the House Ways & Means Committee in a 16-4 vote. The full chamber already approved the legislation last month, but it needed to be sent back to the finance-focused committee because of its fiscal provisions. It… Read more.

North Dakota’s governor has signed a bill allowing patients admitted to hospice care to self-certify as medical marijuana patients. The legislation, which cleared the House in an 86-6 vote and the Senate unanimously in a 45-0 vote, was signed into law on Thursday by Gov. Doug Burgum (R). Under the measure from Rep. Mary Schneider (D), terminally ill patients will be able to use proof of their admittance in hospice care in lieu of a doctor’s written recommendation to register… Read more.

Nevada senators held a hearing on a bill to legalize the possession of psilocybin on Thursday, discussing a proposed amendment to remove therapeutic use provisions and taking extensive testimony from advocates and experts—including from an Assembly lawmaker who shared his own experience with ketamine treatment. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took up the legislation from Sen. Rochelle Nguyen (D), which under the amendment would remove criminal penalties for possession of up to six ounces of the psychedelic for adults… Read more.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is proposing legislation to crack down on unlicensed cannabis storefronts in the state, including fines of up to $10,000 per day for unlawful operations. The legislation would also give additional enforcement power to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and the Department of Taxation and Finance to enforce the new regulatory requirements and close stores engaged in cannabis sales without a license. The new legislation, which is being introduced as a governor’s program bill in the… Read more.

A Hawaii Senate committee approved a House-passed bill on Wednesday that would create an advisory council to look into possible regulations to provide access to federal “breakthrough therapies” like psilocybin and MDMA. The psychedelics legislation from Rep. Adrian Tam (D) advanced, with amendments, in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in a 5-0 vote. Members took testimony from advocates and experts, including a representative of the Department of Health, which voiced support for the proposal. All 20 people and organizations that… Read more.

The Pennsylvania Appellate Court made a groundbreaking ruling, allowing workers' compensation laws to cover medical cannabis expenses. Paul Sheetz, the deceased plaintiff, treated his chronic pain with medical cannabis after a work injury in 1977. He also used cannabis to wean off prescribed opioids. The defendant, Firestone, argued that reimbursing medical cannabis costs would violate federal law, but the court disagreed. The court ruled that insurers are not recommending cannabis, so it is not a federal crime. This decision benefits those who… Read more.

A Hawaii Senate-passed bill to legalize marijuana has stalled out in the House for the year—but advocates are shifting focus to 2024, hoping to enact the reform in the second half of the two-year legislative session. The legislation from Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D) cleared the Senate earlier this month, and hopes were high that it’d make it through the House as well. But a hearing wasn’t scheduled before a deadline for bills that have been referred to three or more… Read more.

Lawmakers in Montana this week considered changing the advertising and labeling rules under the state’s adult-use cannabis law, the Missoula Current reports. One measure would bar adult-use cannabis businesses from promoting their brands in print, on TV or radio, or on billboards, while another would revise labels on packaging to include warnings about using cannabis while pregnant. Under the current adult-use law, licensees are not permitted to advertise “marijuana or marijuana products” but are allowed to advertise their brand, as allowed by the Montana Department of Revenue. The… Read more.

A House panel in Washington State took another step toward allowing interstate cannabis commerce on Thursday, advancing a Senate-approved bill that would one day enable businesses in the state to import and export marijuana products. The bill, SB 5069, from Sen. Ann Rivers (R), would give the governor the authority to enter into agreements with other legal states to permit interstate trade between licensed cannabis companies. But it would take effect only if there’s a federal law change “to allow… Read more.