Industrial Hemp Legislation
Hawaii: Lawmakers Take No Action On Marijuana Decriminalization Measures
Lawmakers have failed to act on legislation to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults. Senate Bill 596 SD 1 sought to reclassify possession of less than one ounce of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $ 1,000 fine to a civil violation, … Continue reading
Arizona: Measures To Regulate Marijuana Retail Sales Tabled
House lawmakers failed to act on legislation to permit the personal cultivation and retail sale of marijuana by adults. House Bill 2006 and HB 2406 both sought to regulate the commercial cultivation and retail sale of marijuana to adults over the age of 21. The measures would have also permitted individuals to cultivate marijuana for their own personal … Continue reading
Maryland: Legislation To Recriminalize Marijuana Offenses Tabled
House bill 777, legislation that sought to prohibit a person from smoking or consuming marijuana in a public place, in or on a public conveyance, or in any specified area otherwise accessible to the public; and establish a criminal penalty of a fine not to exceed $ 500 has been tabled for the 2016 legislative … Continue reading
South Dakota: Industrial Hemp Measure Tabled
House legislation, HB 1054, to redefine industrial hemp as an agricultural crop and establish licensing regulations for the plant’s cultivation has been tabled for the legislative session. The legislation was approved by the full House in an 57-11 vote on Thursday, February 4th but unfortunately members of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee voted against it in a … Continue reading
Hawaii: Members of the House Fail to Act on Hemp Legislation
Legislation, Senate Bill 2787, to further encourage the state Department of Agriculture to license farmers to grow industrial hemp for “research and development purposes” failed to move forward in the House after members of the Senate approved the measure in a 24-0 vote. Additional legislation, Senate Bill 2757, to authorize the department of agriculture to … Continue reading
California: Governor Signs Emergency Legislation to Discourage Enactment of Local Medical Marijuana Bans
Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday, February 3, signed legislation that seeks to dissuade California cities and counties from enacting municipal restrictions on the cultivation and dispensing of medical marijuana. The measure takes immediate effect. Assembly Bill 21 amends a drafting error in the The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act by removing an apparent March 1, 2016 deadline … Continue reading
Arizona: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Measure To Defelonize Minor Marijuana Offenses
House lawmakers failed to consider, House Bill 2007, legislation to defelonize minor marijuana possession offenses. Arizona’s penalties pertaining to the possession and/or sale of cannabis are among the toughest in the nation. Under present law, marijuana possession is classified as a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail. Annually, an estimated 20,000 Arizonans … Continue reading
Maryland: Governor Signs Industrial Hemp Legislation
Governor Larry Hogan has signed legislation, House Bill 443, to permit the Department of Agriculture to authorize institutions of higher education to cultivate industrial hemp for academic research purposes. Members of the Senate voted 45 to zero in favor of the bill. House members voted 136 to zero in favor of the measure. Members of Congress recently approved … Continue reading
Florida: Lawmakers Table Hemp Measures
House and Senate legislation, HB 271 and SB 554, that sought to redefine industrial hemp as an agricultural crop and establish licensing regulations to allow for the plant’s cultivation died in committee this legislative session. Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa L. that contains minimal amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive … Continue reading
New Jersey: Marijuana Decriminalization Measure Pending
Assembly Bill 2050, legislation to decriminalize minor marijuana possession offenses in New Jersey, is pending in the General Assembly. If approved, the legislation would remove criminal penalties for those who possess 15 grams of marijuana or less. Offenders would face civil fines of (1) $ 150 for a first violation; (2) $ 200 for a … Continue reading
