May 31 2023

California Senate Passes Bill to Ban Employers From Asking About Past Marijuana Use

California’s full Senate has passed a bill that would provide legal protections to marijuana consumers who are seeking employment.

Filed by Senator Steven Bradford, Senate Bill 700 “would make it unlawful for an employer to request information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis”. The Senate voted yesterday 29 to 9 to send the proposal to the House of Representatives.

The proposal would not apply to applicants or employees hired for positions that require a federal government background investigation or security clearance in accordance with regulations “issued by the United States Department of Defense pursuant to Part 117 of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or equivalent regulations applicable to other agencies.”
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May 30 2023

Arizona Court Ruling Expands Eligibility for Marijuana Expungements

A ruling by the Arizona Court of Appeals allows for more marijuana-related convictions to be expunged (removed) from people’s records.

Following Arizona’s legalization of marijuana in 2020, thousands of marijuana charges have been expunged or are in the process of being expunged, including over 10,000 in Maricopa County. The charges that have been made eligible for expungement include:

  • Possessing, consuming or transporting 2.5 ounces or less of marijuana
  • Possessing, transporting, cultivating or processing not more than six marijuana plants at the individual’s primary residence for personal use
  • Possessing, using or transporting paraphernalia relating to the cultivation, manufacture, processing or consumption of marijuana

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May 30 2023

Minnesota Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Marijuana

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed House File 100 into law, officially making Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana.

The governor’s signature on HF 100 means that starting August 1, those 21 and older in Minnesota will be allowed to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, eight grams of marijuana concentrates and 800mg of marijuana edibles. They will also be allowed to grow up to eight plants and possess up to two pounds at a private residence.

After an extensive process that included over 40 committee hearings, HF 100 was passed through the House of Representatives 73 to 57, and it passed the Senate 34 to 32.
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May 29 2023

Texas Marijuana Bills Killed in Senate, Dead Until At Least January, 2025

Two Texas bills that would have decriminalized marijuana and expanded the state’s medical marijuana program have both been killed in the Senate after being passed by strong majorities in the House of Representatives.

The Texas House passed House Bill 218 in April by a vote of 87 to 59. Sponsored by State Representative Joe Moody the measure would have removed criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana or marijuana concentrates such as hash and oil.

The same month the House gave approval to House Bill 1805 in an overwhelming 121 to 23 vote. Sponsored by Representative Stephanie Klick with over 40 cosponsors, the proposal would have added chronic pain “for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid” to the state’s list of medical ailments that qualify an individual to become a medical marijuana patient. The legislation would have also replaced the 1% cap on THC content by instead instituting a volumetric dose of 10mg, and empowered the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying condition through an administrative process.
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May 29 2023

Illinois Legislature Approves Bill Allowing Marijuana Businesses to Take State Tax Deductions

Legislation that would allow marijuana businesses that are legal under state law to take standard state-level tax deductions has been passed by the full Illinois Legislature.

House Bill 3817 was filed by State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth along with 19 cosponsors, all Democrat. The measure will now to sent to Governor J. B. Pritzker for consideration after passing the Senate 36 to 20, and passing the House 73 to 38.

The legislation, which covers a variety of topics, includes a provision that would alter the state’s existing tax code to allow marijuana businesses to take deductions for “an amount equal to the deductions that were disallowed under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year”.
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May 27 2023

Michigan: Over $1 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold So Far in 2023

Legal marijuana sales in Michigan have surpassed $1 billion in 2023 alone, according to data released by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency.

Michigan sold $909 million worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products between January and April of this year. Although data for May won’t be released until sometime in June, a spokesperson for the Agency tells us that the state passed $100 million sold in May earlier this month, meaning the year-to-date total is now over $1 billion.

March is the top month so far this year with $249.6 million sold, followed by April with $246 million sold. Data for January and February is almost identical with $207 million and $206 million sold respectively. The vast majority of these sales were for recreational marijuana, with medical marijuana sales each month ranging from $7.8 million to $10.1 million
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May 27 2023

Minnesota Governor to Sign Marijuana Legalization Bill on Tuesday

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz plans to sign into law a bill that will legalize recreational marijuana early next week.

According to the governor’s office he plans to sign HF 100 on Tuesday, May 30 as part of a “large ceremony” that will celebrate the state becoming the 23rd to legalize marijuana. A spokesperson for the governor tells us there’s a small chance the ceremony could get delayed to Wednesday, but it will happen next week “no matter what”.

Once signed into law HF 100 will take effect on August 1, allowing those 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, eight grams of marijuana concentrates and 800mg of marijuana edibles. They will also be allowed to grow up to eight plants at a private residence.
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May 25 2023

New York Senate Committee Passes Legislation to Legalize Safe Drug Consumption Sites

A key committee in the New York Senate has given approval to legislation that would legalize safe drug consumption sites, sometimes referred to as overdose prevention centers and safe injection sites.

(Photo credit: Eric Risberg / AP file)

The Senate Health Committee passed Senate Bill S399A this week in a voice vote, exactly four months after it was assigned to the committee. The measure, filed by Senator Gustavo Rivera, requires the Department of Health to authorize at least one safe drug consumption site. The site/s would provide a safe location for consumers to use drugs such as heroin, with medical personnel on site to prevent overdoses as well as make referrals for treatment.

“Harm reduction works”, says Senator Rivera. “Harm reduction is a modality, a way to approach dealing with an issue which assumes, first, that a person who uses drugs is a person, and that they have to be met where they are. Fact number two, criminalization has not worked.”
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May 25 2023

Montana Governor Signs Marijuana Measures Into Law

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has signed into law a pair of marijuana-related bills.

Governor Gianforte signed House Bill 128, extending the state’s current moratorium on licenses for new marijuana businesses until July 1, 2025. The measure also gives tribal nations the same privileges as other cannabis businesses, with all eight tribal nations in the state guaranteed marijuana permits.

Governor Gianforte also signed into law House Bill 903. The measure requires that holders of multiple licenses pay higher fees. Specifically, an initial license now costs $5,000 with each additional permit costing an additional $5,000. The legislation also allows the 16 businesses that currently are only allowed to sell medical marijuana to also start selling recreational marijuana.
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May 25 2023

North Carolina Medical Marijuana Bill Scheduled for Committee Hearing on May 30

After being reassigned to the House Health Committee, a North Carolina bill to legalize medical marijuana has been scheduled for a pubic hearing on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 am.

Senate Bill 3, the “Compassionate Care Act”, was approved by the Senate in March,  36 to 10. The measure was quickly assigned to the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee, where it had remained since March 6 before being reassigned to the House Health Committee last week. Now, the committee has scheduled a hearing on the bill, to take place Tuesday morning.

Under SB 3 those with a “debilitating medical condition” such as cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder would be allowed to possess and consume medical marijuana and marijuana products if they receive a recommendation from a licensed physician.
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