Feb 14 2024

Arizona Senate Committee Unanimously Passes Bill to Legalize Psilocybin Service Centers

Legislation that would legalize psilocybin service centers has been passed unanimously by an Arizona Senate committee.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms. (Photo credit: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite).

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 7 to 0 today to pass Senate Bill 1570. The measure, filed last week by Senator Thomas Shope (R) along with eight cosponsors, would legalize psilocybin service centers where individuals can come and legally consume psilocybin mushrooms in a medical, supervised setting.

The law would give the Department of Human Services (DHS) the authority to license psilocybin service centers, where trained staff could administer psilocybin to patrons. An Arizona Psilocybin Advisory Board would be established and tasked with overseeing training criteria for those working at service centers. The board would also recommend to lawmakers any potential law changes.
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Feb 13 2024

Indiana House Committee Advances Senate-Approved Psilocybin Bill

An Indiana House committee has overwhelmingly passed a bill to fund psilocybin research that’s already passed the full Senate.

Dried psilocybin mushroom.

The House Public Health Committee voted 12 to 1 today to pass Senate Bill 139, a week after it was approved by the Senate 47 to 1. The measure now advances towards a vote of the full House of Representatives, with approval sending it to Governor Eric Holcomb.

The proposed law “establishes the therapeutic psilocybin research fund, administered by the Indiana department of health (state department), to provide financial assistance to research institutions in Indiana to study the use of psilocybin to treat mental health and other medical conditions.”
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Feb 13 2024

The 4 States Most Likely to Legalize Psilocybin (“Magic Mushrooms”) in 2024

Currently there are two states that have legalized psilocybin mushrooms (aka “magic mushrooms”), but that number is likely to grow in the coming months and years.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Voters in Oregon and Colorado have both legalized the possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms, with Oregon doing so in 2020 and Colorado in 2022. A bill to make California the third state to do so was approved by the legislature last year but vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Already in 2024 lawmakers and activists in numerous states are pushing legislation to allow psilocybin use, with some in a far better position than others to be approved in the near future.
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Feb 13 2024

WA House Votes 85 to 12 to Exempt Medical Marijuana Patients From 37% Excise Tax

Legislation “providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients” has been approved by Washington’s full House of Representatives.

House Bill 1453, filed by State Representative Sharon Wylie, was recently given approval by the House in a 85 to 12 vote. Today the measure was read for the first time in the Senate and assigned to the Labor and Commerce Committee.

The proposed law “Provides a permanent tax exemption from the 37 percent cannabis excise tax for qualifying patients and designated providers with a recognition card on purchases of cannabis products that are labeled as Department of Health (DOH)-compliant product and tested in accordance with the DOH’s rules.”
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Feb 13 2024

Second Senate Committee in Hawaii Votes to Legalize Marijuana

Hawaii’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to pass a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, the same day it was approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to pass Senate Bill 3335, filed last month by Senator Jarrett Keohokalole along with nine bipartisan cosponsors. The measure would allow those 21 and older to purchase marijuana and marijuana products from licensed marijuana retail outlets. These outlets would be supplied by licensed growers and processors, with marijuana required to be tested through licensed testing labs.

The legislation would establish the Hawaii Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in order to oversee a legal marijuana market.
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Feb 13 2024

South Carolina Senate Votes to Legalize Medical Marijuana

Legislation to legalize medical marijuana has been given approval by the full South Carolina Senate.

Senate Bill 423 was passed today by the Senate in a 26 to 17 vote. Filed by Senator Thomas Davis with a bipartisan coalition of 11 cosponsors, the measure would establish the South Carolina Medical Cannabis Program, creating “a seed-to-sale system to provide for the sale of medical cannabis to treat a qualifying patient’s debilitating medical condition or to alleviate symptoms.”

The law would allow patients to possess an “Allowable amount of medical cannabis” or “allowable amount of cannabis products”, defined as:
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Feb 13 2024

Hawaii Senate Committee Approves Bill to Legalize Marijuana

Today a Hawaii Senate committee gave approval to legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana.

Senate Bill 3335 would legalize marijuana for everyone 21 and older, while establishing the Hawaii Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in order to oversee a legal marijuana market. Today, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted unanimously to pass the bill following a joint public hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on the measure later today, which would move the measure towards a vote of the full Senate.

During today’s public hearing that preceded the vote, dozens spoke on the bill. John Gonaki, a representative for Hawaii’s Office of the Public Defender, spoke in favor.
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Feb 13 2024

Virginia’s Full Senate Gives Approval to Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Sales

Virginia’s full Senate has passed a bill to legalize marijuana sales, a day after the House of Delegates approved a competing measure.

The Senate has voted 21 to 18 today to pass Senate Bill 448 through its third and final reading. The measure, filed by Senator Aaron Rouse (D), now goes to the House of Delegates.

Given the House just approved a bill that would also legalize marijuana sales but with a differing approach, each chamber will need to decide if they’re going to pass the measure approved through the opposite chamber, of if they’ll establish a committee in order to coalesce the two measures. If they take the latter approach, both the House and Senate would need to vote to reconcile the two measures before it can be sent to Governor Glenn Youngkin.
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Feb 13 2024

Hawaii Committee Approves Bill to Decriminalize One Ounce of Marijuana

Legislation to decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana has been approved through a key committee in the Hawaii House of Representatives.

The House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee voted yesterday to pass House Bill 1596, allowing it to move towards a vote of the full House. The measure was filed last month by State Representative David Tarnas along with a coalition of 11 other lawmakers.

In 2019 lawmakers in Hawaii passed a limited marijuana decriminalization law that removed criminal penalties for possessing up to three grams of marijuana, making it at most an $125 ticket. House Bill 1596 would increase the three gram limit to be 28 grams (one ounce), and it would reduce the ticket to a maximum $25.
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Feb 12 2024

Virginia Bill That Could Lead to Early Prison Release for Marijuana Felons Passes Senate 20 to 19

Virginia’s Senate has narrowly passed a bill that could lead to those in prison for marijuana-related felonies to be released early.

The Senate voted 20 to 19 today to pass Senate Bill 696, filed by Senators Angelia Williams Graves, Jennifer Boysko and Saddam Salim.

“This bill creates a process by which persons convicted of certain felony marijuana-related offenses involving the possession, manufacture, selling, giving, distribution, transportation, or delivery of marijuana committed prior to July 1, 2021, who remain incarcerated or on community supervision on July 1, 2024, must receive an automatic hearing to consider modification of such person’s sentence”, states the measure’s official summary. “The bill sets January 1, 2025, as the deadline by which such hearings must be scheduled.”
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