Lawmakers in four U.S. states have voted to approve and advance marijuana legislation in their legislatures.
The following states have seen legislative action taken on marijuana legislation. This analysis is based on one recently published by Marijuana Moment.
Hawaii: Senators in the Hawaii state legislature approved a proposal to permit the sale of cannabis products for people aged 21 years or older. Suppose it advances through the entire state legislature and is signed into law by Democratic Gov. David Ige. According to local media, the vote took place in the Hawaii Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs Committee. The vote was 4 to 1 in favor of advancing the bill. The bill also allows adults to grow up to three plants for their own private use.
Minnesota: Lawmakers in the Minnesota state House moved to approve marijuana legalization through its Finance and Policy Committee on a 10 to 7 vote in favor of passing the legislation. The legislation now advances to the entire House for floor action on second and third reading from committee. Once the bill passes the House, it will have very little opposition in the Senate. Both House and Senate leadership, all Democrats, filed motions to advance the legislation earlier this year. Tim Walz, the Democratic governor for the state, has also signaled that he will sign any marijuana legalization legislation. Like other bills listed here, the Minnesota legalization measure makes recreational cannabis legal for people aged 21 years and older. The bill also permits an individual to possess up to 1.5 ounces and cultivate eight plants, with four that could be mature, for personal use.
New Mexico: Lawmakers in Sante Fe, the state capital, advanced legislation legalizing marijuana in a 7 to 4 vote. Once ratified as law, the bill would permit the sale of marijuana to adults aged 21 years or older. These individuals will also be permitted to have at least 2 ounces of cannabis and cultivate six mature and six immature plants for personal, private use. The legislation also offers the blueprints for a system of regulated and taxed cannabis seeds. The legislation is extremely likely to pass, with broad bipartisan support.
North Dakota: A narrow majority of a legislative council in North Dakota approved legislation to legalize and regulate cannabis. The House Human Services Committee’s vote was affirmative, with a 7 to 6 vote in favor. According to the state legislature, the bill now advances to the Appropriations Committee for tax and regulation matters. It is up in the air with how the bill would fair on the House floor or before the Senate if it makes it that far in the bill-making process. Republican Gov. Doug Burgham has offered no indication of whether he will veto potential legislation or not.
