Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today signed SB59, which passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, providing students with free breakfast before the school day, as well as funding Summer EBT and free lunch programs.

“Free school breakfast will help ease the burden on families just trying to put food on their tables and make sure kids are fueled and ready to learn,” said Governor Sanders. “Delivering for our kids is a bipartisan issue, and I’m proud to see us working together to take action.”

SB59 guarantees each student free breakfast regardless of if they qualify for free or reduced meals under federal law. The legislation also repurposes Medical Marijuana tax revenue to ensure both Summer EBT and Arkansas’ free lunch and breakfast programs are fully funded into the future.
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New Hampshire’s House has given approval to legislation that would allow individuals with past marijuana-related offenses to petition for annulment of their records, as well as legislation to allow patients to grow their own marijuana.

The House of Representatives today gave approval to House Bill 53, as well as House Bill 196.

Filed by State Representatives Wendy Thomas (D), Heath Howard (D), and Jim Kofalt (R), House Bill 53 would allow qualified patients, as well as designated caregivers, to grow up to three mature cannabis plants, three immature plants and up to 12 seedlings. The measure was approved overwhelmingly, 328 to 42.
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Legislation to remove criminal penalties for possessing and using marijuana and marijuana-infused products for those 21 and older has been given approval by the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

House Bill 75 was filed by State Representative Kevin Verville (R) in December 2024. Today, the measure was given approval by the House of Representatives. The measure will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.

The measure would legalize cannabis for everyone 21 and older by removing criminal penalties for possessing and using dried marijuana, as well as marijuana-infused products such as concentrates and edibles. The proposal would not establish a regulated recreational cannabis market.
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Eight state-licensed cannabis companies in New Mexico have filed a federal lawsuit, accusing the U.S. government of refusing to return more than $1 million in marijuana seized at interior Border Patrol checkpoints.

The lawsuit, originally filed in October, was refiled on February 14 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.

The plaintiffs—Mesilla Valley Extracts, Royal Cannabis (Baked Chicken Farm), Super Farm (Smokey Road Farms), Impact Farms, Chadcor Holdings NM (Top Crop Cannabis), Mylars, Rollin Love, and Desert Peaks Farms—allege that federal authorities unlawfully confiscated their products despite their compliance with state law. Though impounded vehicles were returned in October, the government has not relinquished the seized cannabis or currency.
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The Washington State House Consumer Protection & Business Committee has scheduled votes for tomorrow, February 21, on three marijuana-related bills that could impact business ownership, home cultivation, and out-of-state investments in the state’s legal marijuana market.

Among the bills up for a vote is House Bill 1348, which would allow Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) to own up to 100% of a licensed marijuana business or its parent company. Under the bill, corporate officers and directors would be considered the applicants or owners and required to meet licensing qualifications. However, ESOP participants, administrators, and trustees would not be classified as owners, true parties of interest, or subject to residency, background checks, or financial disclosure requirements.

House Bill 1449, also up for a vote tomorrow, would permit adults 21 and older to grow up to six marijuana plants at a private residence, with a cap of 15 plants per household. While Washington law currently limits possession to one ounce of marijuana, this bill would allow home growers to retain all harvested marijuana from their plants, regardless of the quantity.

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Idaho Governor Brad Little plans to sign legislation that would establish a mandatory minimum fine for marijuana possession.

The proposal, House Bill 7, passed the state Senate on Tuesday with a 27 to 8 vote, having already been approved by the House 54 to 14. With its passage through both chambers, a spokesperson for the governor confirmed he will sign it into law. Even if Little decided to veto the measure, it has more than the two-thirds support required for lawmakers to override it.

Currently, possessing less than three ounces of marijuana in Idaho is a misdemeanor with fines of up to $1,000, but no set minimum. Once signed, House Bill 7 will establish a mandatory minimum fine of $300.
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The Tennessee House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill to extend the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission, keeping it in place until June 30, 2029.

Tennessee State Capitol.

House Bill 255 received a 90 to 0 vote today, with one member present but not voting.

The commission, originally set to expire in 2025, was created to study and make recommendations on medical cannabis policy in Tennessee. While the state does not have a comprehensive medical marijuana program, the commission has been tasked with evaluating how such programs function in other states and advising lawmakers on potential pathways for legalization.

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Legislation to make beverages containing psychoactive cannabinoids illegal has been introduced in Alabama.

State Senator Shay Shelnutt (R) filed Senate Bill 182 today, and it has been assigned to the Senate Healthcare Committee. The bill would ban the sale of any beverage containing psychoactive cannabinoids, including delta-8, delta-9, and delta-10 THC, with exceptions for Alabama’s medical marijuana program. It would also formally include delta-9 THC in the state’s definition of psychoactive cannabinoids.

Under SB 182, anyone who sells, distributes, or markets a beverage containing psychoactive cannabinoids would be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. If passed, the law would take effect on October 1, 2025.
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