Industrial Hemp Legislation
Tennessee: Legislation To Offer Citation Instead of Arrest Fails To Garner Support Before Session Ends
Lawmakers failed to pass legislation this legislative session that would have placed a referendum before voters this November to provide local law enforcement the option of citing rather than arresting adults who are caught in possession of one ounce or less of marijuana. House Bill 2310 was approved by members of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on … Continue reading
Oregon: Governor Signs Measure Allowing Retail Sale of Marijuana Extracts and Edibles
Governor Kate Brown has signed legislation, Senate Bill 1511, allowing adults 21 and older to immediately become eligible to purchase marijuana extracts and marijuana infused edibles from Oregon dispensaries. In 2014, residents in Oregon voted to legalize the adult use and retail sale of herbal marijuana. Senate Bill 1511 legally permits adults to also purchase … Continue reading
Massachusetts: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Measure To Regulate Hemp Commerce
Lawmakers failed to act this session on legislation, House Bill 773, to regulate the cultivation and promotion of industrial hemp. The legislation would have established policies and procedures to allow for the commercial cultivation of industrial hemp if/when federal law permits such activity. Members of Congress have previously approved language in the omnibus federal Farm … Continue reading
Louisiana: Governor Signs Legislation Amending State’s Dormant Medical Marijuana Law, Immunizing Patients
Governor John Bel Edwards signed legislation on Thursday, May 19th amending the state’s dormant medical marijuana law. Senate Bill 271 permits physicians to ‘recommend’ rather than ‘prescribe’ medical cannabis therapy. The change allows doctors to authorize cannabis without running afoul of federal law, which prohibits the prescription of a schedule I controlled substance. The measure … Continue reading
California: Legislation To Impose Cultivation Tax On Medical Marijuana Pending
Legislation is pending in the Senate that seeks to impose new taxes on the production and purchase of medical cannabis. Senate Bill 987 imposes a special 15 percent statewide tax upon medical marijuana sales. This tax would be in addition to the imposition of existing state and local taxes. Assembly Bill 2243 imposes a new $ 9.75/ounce … Continue reading
California: Lawmakers Shelve Bill To Impose Presumptive THC Impairment Standards
Members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee have rejected legislation that sought to presume impairment in drivers with trace levels of THC in their blood. NORML wishes to thank those of who contacted your state lawmakers opposing this effort. Assembly Bill 2740, sought to “make it an offense for a person who has 5 ng/ml or … Continue reading
Ohio: Governor Signs Bill Amending Driver’s License Suspension Policy For Drug Offenders
On June 13th Governor John Kasich signed legislation, Senate Bill 204, into law so that certain drug offenses are no longer punishable by a mandatory loss of one’s driver’s license. House lawmakers previously approved the legislation in a 95 to 2 vote while Senate lawmakers unanimously approved the legislation. Under previous law, any drug conviction carried a mandatory driver’s … Continue reading
Louisiana: Industrial Hemp Measure Killed
Members of the Senate Agriculture committee voted unanimously on May 3rd against legislation, HB 1085, which had sought to permit licensed farmers to grow industrial hemp in accordance with a state-sponsored research program. Members of the House had previously approved the legislation in a 67 to 25 vote on April 26th. Under the measure, state … Continue reading
Ohio: Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Vaporization Measure
Ohio Governor John Kasich has signed legislation into law establishing regulations for the licensed production and dispensing of medical cannabis formulations to qualified patients. House Bill 523 authorizes the use of various forms of cannabis preparations for the physician-authorized treatment of the following qualifying conditions: acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); Alzheimer’s disease; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis … Continue reading
