Today in the world of cannabis: Cannabis legalization measures pass through vital Virginia state legislature committees, the Kansas state governor introduces a medical cannabis legalization plan to expand Medicaid, and three Democratic Senators say they plan to present a federal cannabis legalization draft in the coming weeks.
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** First up: In a report by Marijuana Moment, a cannabis legalization bill in the state of Virginia presented by Governor Ralph Northam in January has cleared committees in both chambers of the state legislature. The proposal has now been sent for votes in the state Senate and House of Delegates.
“This has been a very robust process involving a number of members on a number of committees, and it continues,” said Delegate Vivian Watts. “With that understanding, this is a work in progress.”
Both legislative chambers made amendments to the measures prior to the votes, and some lawmakers still have questions about how the bill would address various issues, such as business regulations and social equity. Cannabis advocates are calling for the bill to make it to the floor for votes, as bill sponsors have assured that opportunities for further amendments will be available.
Virginia Marijuana Legalization Bills Sail Though Committees As Key Friday Deadline Nears
** And next: Marijuana Moment reports that the Kansas state governor has introduced a plan to legalize medical cannabis statewide while allocating generated tax revenue to fund Medicaid expansion.
“The bill establishes the regulatory framework for the cultivation, testing, distribution, prescription and purchase of medical marijuana,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “The introduction of this bill in itself is a win for Kansans, who will benefit from medical marijuana—something that, once again, our neighbors in Oklahoma and Missouri have already recognized and addressed.”
The measure already faces an uphill battle. The GOP Senate majority in the state, headed by Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, have already sent a cold welcome to the plan, saying in a press release that Gov. Kelly “envisions a Kansas where you can choose not to work and the taxpayers will foot the bill for you to stay home and smoke supposedly medical marijuana.”
“While the Governor is focused on high hopes and pipe dreams, Republicans continue working to create jobs and rebuild the once strong economy,” the press release adds.
Gov. Kelly has said that her support for medical cannabis was sparked by testimony during a state Senate hearing from a family who had moved from Kansas to Colorado in order to safely access cannabis for their child with severe epilepsy.
“They convinced me that not only was this a good idea for people who would benefit from medical marijuana, but just from the sense of Kansas’s economic wellbeing,” Kelly said. “We couldn’t afford to lose people—and we still can’t.”
Kansas Governor Proposes Legalizing Medical Marijuana To Fund Healthcare Expansion
** Last up: In a report by Marijuana Moment, three lawmakers in the U.S. Congress have issued a joint statement stating that a draft proposal for federal cannabis legalization and policy reform is planned to be released in the coming weeks.
Ending cannabis prohibition “is necessary to right the wrongs of this failed war and end decades of harm inflicted on communities of color across the country,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden and Sen. Cory Booker in the statement, adding that “we must also enact measures that will lift up people who were unfairly targeted in the War on Drugs.”
“We are committed to working together to put forward and advance comprehensive cannabis reform legislation that will not only turn the page on this sad chapter in American history, but also undo the devastating consequences of these discriminatory policies,” they said.
The Senators provided a nebulous tentative release date of the proposal, saying that it can be expected to be released “in the early part of this year.”
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/democratic-senate-leaders-announce-steps-to-federally-legalize-marijuana-in-2021/
