Author: News Room

A congresswoman is asking for marijuana plants to be displayed at the U.S. Botanic Garden near the Capitol in Washington, D.C. in recognition of state and federal efforts to legalize cannabis. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) wrote a letter to the executive director of the living plant museum, which is run by Congress and located near the U.S. Capitol Building, on Wednesday, requesting that both male and female marijuana plants be added to the national garden. Norton expressed appreciation that the Botanic Garden recently started displaying federally legal hemp as part of its collection, which she and other lawmakers had…

Bipartisan and bicameral Minnesota lawmakers are holding their first conference committee meeting on Friday to begin resolving differences between marijuana legalization bills that passed the House and Senate last month. Rep. Zack Stephenson (D), sponsor of the House version, announced the meeting on Wednesday, saying legislators “are making great progress” in informal discussions ahead of the meeting. He and Sen. Lindsey Port (D), the Senate bill sponsor, are “excited to finish the job,” he said. While the bills were identical as introduced earlier this year, both went through an extensive committee process in their respective chambers, with lawmakers making various amendments along…

Banking associations representing all 50 U.S. states—as well as various other financial, insurance and union organizations—are calling for Senate committee passage of a marijuana banking bill “as quickly as possible.” Ahead of a Senate Banking Committee hearing on cannabis industry financial issues that was held on Thursday, several national and state associations sent letters to the panel’s leadership, urging quick action to advance the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act to the floor. The American Bankers Association (ABA) and all 50 of its state affiliates said that the committee should schedule a markup “as soon as possible.” Other groups…

The New Hampshire Senate has rejected a House-passed bill to legalize marijuana. Just two days after receiving an unfavorable recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee, the full chamber defeated the measure in a 14-10 vote on Thursday. Following the committee vote on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson (R) predicted that the legislation from bipartisan House leaders would fail on the floor. The governor also recently expressed opposition to the reform. HB 639 is one of several cannabis bills that have advanced through the House this session. The Senate Judiciary Committee also voted this week to designate a home grow…

Wisconsin’s Democratic Senate minority leader keeps a U.S. map in her office, color-coded to show the status of state marijuana laws around the country. Lately, that map has been growing greener and greener—but not in Wisconsin itself, where the GOP-controlled legislature has resisted even incremental reform. With Minnesota lawmakers next door poised to send a legalization bill to the pro-reform governor’s desk, Wisconsin will soon become an island of prohibition, surrounded by three states with adult-use markets and one with a limited medical program. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard (D) has worked to change that, but Republican leadership controls the…

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and two top colleagues said on Thursday that they will be working to add marijuana expungements legislation to a cannabis banking bill that had just been discussed in a committee hearing. Schumer, along with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), released a joint statement following the panel’s meeting, applauding “key improvements” that were made to the latest version of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, while emphasizing the need to incorporate additional equity provisions as it advances. There was some conversation about the need for more…

The Connecticut House of Representatives has approved a bill to decriminalize possession of psilocybin mushrooms, sending it to the Senate. The legislation—which was introduced by the Judiciary Committee and cleared that panel in March—passed the House in an 86-64 vote on Wednesday. Under the measure, possession of up to half an ounce of psilocybin would be a civil infraction, punishable by a $150 fine. Subsequent violations could carry fines ranging from $200 to $500. People who are found guilty three times under the policy would be referred to a drug education program. As it stands, simple possession of psilocybin is…

Hall of Flowers felt a little different this year. Widely regarded as the flagship trade show for the industry at this point, this was the first year that HOF felt a little BizCon-y, and I mean that in the absolute nicest way possible. With less flower than ever on display, and less rooms to view even, I wouldn’t blame this as much on the production team as I will the state of the industry right now. Shit’s tough out here, especially in California, and the only ones with real budget to spend are the picks & axes guys, like service…

A key U.S. Senate committee is convening on Thursday to discuss marijuana banking issues and bipartisan legislation that seeks to resolve the industry’s unique financial challenges. Members of the Senate Banking Committee won’t be taking any votes at the hearing, which is titled “Examining Cannabis Banking Challenges of Small Businesses and Workers,” but a focal point will be the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT) refiled the measure last month, and they will be among those who testify at the committee hearing. Other witnesses will representatives of Cannabis Regulators of Color…

A Delaware lawmaker who sponsored a pair of recently enacted marijuana legalization and sales bills is offering some advice to fellow legislators in other states who are thinking about pursuing the reform. Rep. Ed Osienski (D) discussed the complex politicking that was required to advance legalization during a Facebook Live event hosted by the Marijuana Policy Project and Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition on Tuesday. He attributed much of the success to his staff who worked alongside him, monitoring legalization laws that were being implemented in other states, building a bipartisan coalition to support his efforts and drafting and revising the…