MPP’s State-by-State Guide to Marijuana Legislation in 2019

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has issued its Progress Report of Legislative Updates for 2019. The best news of the year so far is legalization passing in Illinois and decriminalization in Hawaii, New Mexico and North Dakota. Here’s the MPP’s state-by-state breakdown, in alphabetical order.

Alabama to Georgia

• Alabama: Medical and decriminalization bills advance, but fall short; medical study approved
• Alaska: On-site cannabis use at regulated locations
• Arizona: Medical program improvements adopted; legalization doesn’t advance
• Arkansas: Decriminalization bill proposed, but dies; medical sales begin
• California: Numerous bills under consideration; legislature continues its work
• Colorado: Home delivery and hospitality bills enacted
• Connecticut: Bills to legalize, regulate and tax cannabis pass committees, but don’t receive floor votes
• Delaware: Legalization bill carries over to 2020; other reforms pass
• Florida: Gov. DeSantis signs legislation repealing the ban on smoking medical cannabis
• Georgia: Bill adds in-state access to low-THC medical cannabis

Hawaii to Louisiana

• Hawaii: Decriminalizes the smallest amount of any decriminalization or legalization state
• Idaho: Decriminalization and hemp legislation dies; anti-ballot initiative bill vetoed
• Illinois: Land of Lincoln becomes the 11th state to legalize cannabis for adults
• Indiana: Marijuana policy reform bills introduced, but fall short
• Iowa: Medical-marijuana expansion thwarted by Gov. Reynolds
• Kansas: Gov. Kelly signs affirmative defense bill for CBD oil with up to 5% THC
• Kentucky: Medical-cannabis bill passes House committee, other bills introduced
• Louisiana: Legalization dies in committee; inhalation added to medical program

Maryland to Montana

• Maryland: Legalization work group forms, will report findings in time for 2020 session
• Maine: Adult-use rules approved; medical marijuana proliferating
• Massachusetts: Implementation of regulated market continues; regulators contemplate adding delivery and on-site consumption
• Michigan: No major updates yet this session (year-round legislature)
• Minnesota: Legalization and medical improvements introduced, but fall short
• Mississippi: Medical marijuana and hemp bills filed, but all die in committee
• Missouri: Over a dozen bills introduced, none approved
• Montana: Legalization bill dies; medical-cannabis program revised

Nebraska to North Dakota

• Nebraska: Medical marijuana dies; hemp bill approved
• Nevada: Groundbreaking employment protection bill enacted
• New Hampshire: Incremental reforms pass; legalization bill carries over to 2020
• New Jersey: Gov. Murphy legalization promises fizzle; medical marijuana expands
• New Mexico: Decriminalization enacted; medical marijuana expanded
• New York: Legalization falls short; decriminalization improvement bill sent to Gov. Cuomo
• North Carolina: Medical and legalization bills introduced, carry over to 2020
• North Dakota: Jail time removed for possession; medical-marijuana program expanded

The United State of Cannabis by Joe Gurerri/Freedom Leaf

Ohio to Texas

• Ohio: Hemp legalization bill currently in play (year-round legislative session)
• Oklahoma: Medical-marijuana law tweaked, changes are a mixed bag
• Oregon: Expungement passes along with import/export once federal law changes
• Pennsylvania: Legalization bills pending, unlikely to advance
• Rhode Island: Legalization removed from budget; medical program expanded
• South Carolina: Comprehensive medical-cannabis bill carries over to 2020
• South Dakota: Marijuana policy reform desert; hemp bill vetoed
• Tennessee: Medical cannabis and adult-use possession bills carry over to 2020
• Texas: Political will for reform growing, small changes made this time around

Utah to Wyoming

• Utah: Minor changes to medical-marijuana program approved
• Vermont: Bill to legalize and regulate sales carries over to 2020
• Virginia: Decriminalization and legalization bills introduced, die in committee
• Washington: Expungement measure passes, adult-use home cultivation falls short
• West Virginia: Medical cannabis improvements pass into law
• Wisconsin: Gov. Evers proposes medical cannabis and limited legalization in budget
• Wyoming: Medical-cannabis legalization bill proposed, but dies

Washington, DC and U.S. Territories

• Washington, DC: Tax-and-regulate bills proposed, can’t move until Congress removes Harris rider
• U.S. Territories: Guam legalizes; U.S. Virgin Islands approves medical use

Congress

• Rohrabacher Amendment: Now known as the Blumenauer-Joyce Amendment, protection for medical-marijuana states was passed by the House Appropriations Committee.
• McClintock Amendment: This amendment would do the same in adult-use states. It was passed by the House, 265-167, but has not been voted on by the Senate.
• Safe Banking Act: This bill, which would benefit cannabis businesses, was passed by the House Financial Services Committee.
• House Judiciary, Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee: A first-ever hearing on marijuana prohibition was held.

Read the full report: Marijuana-Policy-Progress-Report_2019-Legislative-Update_single.pdf.

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