Maryland: Measure Making It Easier To Expunge Criminal Marijuana Convictions Becomes Law

Update: Senate Bill 949 became law absent the Governor’s signature on May 27. 
Update: The Senate has passed enrolled SB 949 which means the bill was adopted with the House amendments. SB 949 has now been sent to the governor for approval.
Update: The Senate refuses to concur with the House amendments, so the Senate is requesting that the House recedes on the amendments for SB 949.
Update: A hearing for SB 949 was held in the House on 3/29 at 1:00 PM.
Update: HB 379 has passed the House of Delegates on March 20 and will now be reconciled with SB 949.  
Update: The Senate passed SB 949 on March 15 and it now will be considered by the House.

House and Senate legislation is pending to allow those with past criminal marijuana convictions to have those records expunged.

House Bill 379 / Senate Bill 949 permit those who received a criminal marijuana possession conviction prior to October 1, 2014, to seek expungement of their records.

Maryland law was amended on that date so that the possession of up to ten grams of cannabis is no longer a criminal offense. 

Please use the pre-written letter below to urge your elected officials to support this common sense legislation.

Further information regarding pending marijuana law reform legislation is available from Maryland NORML.

Oklahoma: Hemp Production Legislation Introduced

Update: SB 704 was read for a second time and referred to committee.
Legislation has been introduced, Senate Bill 704, to provide for hemp cultivation and manufacturing.

The measure excludes industrial hemp from the state’s definition of marijuana and provides for its commercial cultivation and export.

The measure also expands the list of qualifying conditions eligible for CBD treatment under state law. Under this change, patients with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety would be eligible for medicinal cannabis products as long as those formulations are in liquid form and do not exceed 12 percent THC.

Please use the prewritten letter below to urge lawmakers to support this legislation.

Kansas: Legislation Pending To Permit Patients Access to Low-THC Cannabis

Update: The Kansas legislature is adjourned and the bill will not recieve further consideration this year.
Update: Members of the House Health and Human Services Committee heard the bill on Wednesday, March 15 at 1:30pm, Room 546-S.
Legislation is pending, House Bill 2152, to permit qualified patients access to marijuana or extracts containing CBD and low levels of THC.

The measure would permit patients with Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder or a condition causing seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, to possess marijuana or extracts containing no more than three percent THC. The measure also seeks to establish rules governing the state-licensed cultivation of low-THC marijuana strains and the preparation of products derived from such strains.

While HB 2152 does not legalize medical marijuana outright, it is an important first step in the process of revisiting and revising Kansas’ marijuana laws.

You can write your lawmakers in support of this penalty reduction by entering your information below.

New Mexico: Tell Lawmakers to Override Governor’s Hemp Veto

Update: Lawmakers have introduced a third hemp research bill, House Bill 530. This bill was passed by the House on March 14 by a vote of 65 to 1, and now awaits senate action.
Update: Governor Martinez has vetoed the second hemp bill on March 12th. 
Governor Susana Martinez has vetoed House Bill 144, which sought to establish a hemp research program in compliance with provisions in the federal Farm Bill explicitly authorizing states to engage in licensed activity involving hemp absent federal reclassification of the plant. The Governor provided no public explanation for the veto. 

The bill has previously passed the House and Senate by votes of 42 to 26 and 30 to 12 respectively.

New Mexico is one of the only states that fails to recognize hemp as an agricultural commodity rather than as a controlled substance.

A similar provision, Senate Bill 6, passed the House and Senate by votes of 58 to 8 and 37 to 2.

Please use the pre-written letter below to urge lawmakers to override the veto on SB 6.

New Hampshire: Patient Cultivation Bill Pending

Update: HB 472 was re-referred for further study. Lawmakers will not take further action of the measure this session.
Update: A hearing for HB 472 was held on Tuesday 4/11 at 1:30 PM.
Update: HB 472 has been introduced to the Senate and referred to committee.
Update: Members of the House of Representatives have passed HB 472. It now awaits action by the Senate.

House legislation is pending, HB 472, to permit qualified patients to cultivate their own medicine.

Under present law, qualified patients must purchase cannabis from one of a handful of state-licensed dispensaries.

House Bill 472 allows patients to cultivate up to two mature plants and up to 12 seedlings at one time.

Permitting patients the ability to grow their own personal use of cannabis assures that they have an uninterrupted supply of medicine. Passage of this measure is extremely important for those patients who lack means to reliable transportation or who do not have an operating dispensary in their area. 

Please use the pre-written letter below to contact your state elected officials and urging them to support this legislative effort. 

Oregon: Governor Signs Legislation To Protect Consumer’s Privacy

Update: Governor Kate Brown on April 17 signed SB 863 into law. The act took effect upon passage. You can read the full text here.
Update: Members of the House on 4/10 voted 53 to 5 in favor of SB 863. The measure now awaits action from Gov. Kate Brown.
Update: SB 863 will be heard by the House floor at 11am on Monday 4/3. If approved, the bill goes into effect immediately.
Update: SB 863 cleared the Senate and is now headed to the House.
Update: SB 863 was heard on Tuesday March 14.
Legislation is pending in the Senate, SB 863, to limit the federal government from acquiring data regarding adults and patients who legally purchase marijuana under state law.

The emergency legislation, which would take immediate effect, mandates that retailers and dispensaries do not maintain customers’ purchase and/or personal identification records beyond 48 hours.

Sponsors of the bipartisan measure say the privacy protections are in response to recent statements by the Trump administration with regard to a possible enforcement crackdown in adult use marijuana states. 

“I could see where the federal government would come in and try to gather this information from businesses that have stockpiled it and retained it in their records,” said Sen. Floyd Prozanski, one of the bill’s sponsors. “I think we as legislators have a duty to protect our citizens.”

Please enter your information below to contact your elected officials regarding this measure. 

Nevada: Legislation Pending To Permit Social Use

Update: SB 236 passed the Senate by a margin of 21-12. It will now be sent to the house.
Update: SB 236 was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/12 and it passed as amended.
Update: SB 236 was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on 4/3.
Senate legislation is pending, SB 236, to regulate the social use of cannabis.

The measure allows select businesses to apply for licensing to permit adult marijuana use on their premises. It would also allow event organizers to seek permits to allow adult use at specific events. 

To date, private adult use of marijuana is permitted, but only in a private residence. Passage of SB 236 establishes a regulatory framework to permit adults the option to consume cannabis at specified public places or events. 

Please enter your information below to contact your elected officials to urge them to support this measure. 

DC: Legalization Measure Re-Introduced to City Council

Councilman David Grosso has re-introduced the Marijuana Legalization and Regulation Act. First introduced in 2014, DC voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure.

The bill will legalize marijuana use for adults over the age of 21 and will allow the city to tax and regulate a commercial market. Due to DC’s unique charter in Congress, however, this provision of the law was gutted in 2014.

Grosso believes the city “has spoken when it comes to marijuana policy and it’s our obligation as the city’s elected leaders to carry out the will of the people.” 

Even DC’s department of health favors the taxation and regulation of marijuana, as it is estimated to generate up to $130 million in sales by 2020. DC citizens’ rights have been trampled long enough. It is time to follow the will of the people and establish a commercial marijuana market.

Enter your information below to urge your elected officials to vote for the Marijuana Legalization and Regulation Act of 2017.
Find out more about DC NORML on their website and follow them on Facebook. 

DC: Legalization Measure Re-Introduced to City Council

Councilman David Grosso has re-introduced the Marijuana Legalization and Regulation Act. The bill will legalize marijuana use for adults over the age of 21 and will allow the city to tax and regulate a commercial market. Previous attempts to legalize the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana in DC have been stymied by the United States Congress, who have budgetary oversight of the district. In 2014, DC residents voted overwhelmingly to legalize the possession and home cultivation of marijuana for adult use.

Grosso believes the city “has spoken when it comes to marijuana policy and it’s our obligation as the city’s elected leaders to carry out the will of the people.” 
Even DC’s Department of Health favors the taxation and regulation of marijuana, as it is estimated to generate up to $130 million in sales by 2020. DC citizens’ rights have been trampled long enough. It is time to follow the will of the people and establish a commercial marijuana market.
Enter your information below to urge your elected officials to vote for the Marijuana Legalization and Regulation Act of 2017.

Find out more about DC NORML on their website and follow them on Facebook. 

Florida: Marijuana Decriminalization Measures introduced

Update: Lawmakers took no further legislative action on the bill this legislative session.
Update: Florida Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met to discuss SB 1662 on Monday 4/17.
Legislation is pending in the House and Senate, SB 1662 and HB 1403, to amend marijuana penalties so that the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis (28.5 grams) is no longer a criminal offense.

The bills reclassify minor marijuana offenses for those age 18 and older to a civil offense, punishable by a fine only — no jail and no criminal record.
Under existing law, the possession of up to 20 grams of cannabis is classified as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Possession of larger quantities is classified as a felony offense, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. These penalties are some of the strictest in the nation. 

Annually, police arrest over 40,000 Floridians for marijuana possession violations, one of the highest totals in the country. About 90 percent of all misdemeanor drug arrests in Florida are for marijuana possession. As a result, several cities and counties in Florida in recent years have moved to enact local decriminalization measures. 

Please contact your state elected officials today and urge them to support this important legislative reform. For additional information on statewide reform efforts, please visit Florida NORML here.

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