The bill passed the House in 2020 but saw no action in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to pass most legislation. See our previous alert here . While the 228-115 House vote was a win for the bill's supporters, the 2020 Act and its Senate companion bill ultimately died in the Republican-controlled Senate. This is the second. But with the midterm elections over and Democrats in position to hold the Senate for another two years, it looks like some Republicans are coming back to the table. The vote fell largely along party lines, with 6 Democrats voting against the bill and 5 Republicans voting . The NLR does not wish, nor does it intend, to solicit the business of anyone or to refer anyone to an attorney or other professional. Posted April 1, 2022 at 2:34pm. Nota Bene Episode 160: European Update: Oliver Heinisch and Scott Federal Communications Commission to Consider Rules and Proposals to Whats the Standard? 7360 as the controlled substance and lists cannabis and marijuana as other names.. It was April Fools Day, but it was not a joke. California Assembly Bill Pushes for Womens Designated Restrooms on Mississippi Legislature Takes Up Pass-Through Entity Election FTC Signals Increased Scrutiny of Technology Sector Through Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act and Ensuring Compliance. Partly because of the politics, but also because the Senate has its own comprehensive bill on marijuana reform called the Cannabis Administrative and Opportunity Act (the CAO Act), which is set to be reintroduced later this month following several months of public comment and revisions. Adams, the bill's lead sponsor . Bentz said legalization has been a disaster for Oregon, explaining that drug cartels are stealing water and threatening locals. This tax would be collected by the new governmental organization, the Cannabis Justice Office, which would be tasked with overseeing the social equity provisions of the MORE Act. The legal industry generated $25 billion in sales last year, a 43% increase over 2020, and is expected to hit $65 billion in 2030. Heres how. WASHINGTON Senate Democrats made an impassioned case on Wednesday for legislation to counter an onslaught of new voting restrictions around the country, but they failed to overcome a Republican. In my opinion, and looking our our politics right now, I feel like they are right. Some of these services include job training, reentry services, legal aid for civil and criminal cases (including expungement of cannabis convictions), literacy programs, youth recreation or mentoring programs, and health education programs. And Perez said earlier hopes that Vice President Kamala Harris might influence the presidents thinking have cooled. The House also added several amendments to the bill, among them a requirement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct a study on the Impact of the legalization of recreational cannabis by states on the workplace and help employers develop best practices in updating their cannabis policies. The National Law Review is not a law firm nor is www.NatLawReview.com intended to be a referral service for attorneys and/or other professionals. This story has been updated to accurately reflect which senators are involved in the effort to pass the legislation. Mace voted no on the MORE Act. The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act cleared the House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by the legislation's sponsor, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), on a 26-15 vote. If passed, the legislation would end cannabis prohibition by the federal government. "So, for us, it is a huge accomplishment.". She just wanted basic human rights. The measure failed a procedural test in the Senate Tuesday, as Republicans voted against starting debate on it. GT's The Performance Review Episode 19: Is the Fight Over AB 51 5 Reasons Community Associations Need an Attorney That Specializes in New York Proposes Regulatory Review and Approval of Material Health CMS Issues Long-Awaiting Medicare Advantage RADV Final Rule, Preventing the Use of Cryptocurrencies to Evade Sanctions. Finally, decriminalizing cannabis would allow cannabis providers to practice safer business practices and partake in federally regulated business activities. He agrees that we need to rethink our approach, including to address the racial disparities and systemic inequities in our criminal justice system, broaden research on the effects of marijuana and support the safe use of marijuana for medical purposes. She then added We look forward to working with Congress to achieve our shared goalsand well continue having discussions with them about this objective.. Backers havesaidthe plan seeks to build upon the text seen in the MORE Act, with proposals aimed at addressing items like drugged driving and safety standards, among other measures. Gretchen Whitmer's support of the bill. But increasing the use of cannabis doesnt make our streets safer, doesnt make our workplaces safer; it doesnt make our families stronger.. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 09:27 AM EST. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act passed by a 220-204 vote on April 1. NLR does not answer legal questions nor will we refer you to an attorney or other professional if you request such information from us. This bill would end the federal ban, but leave legalization up to the states. The States Reform Act is in competition with the MORE Act in the House, and Mace recently stated there was "no quid pro quo" on a contingent "yes" vote on the MORE Act. Congress has previously attempted to address this issue via the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (H.R. Marijuana has been legalized in 40% of our states, and medical marijuana is legal in 36 states. "This thing with Elliot-Larsen, it changes so much. The last time the House passed the bill the Senate did not take it up to a vote. The bill, which the House previously passed in 2020, will next head to the US Senate. Telephone and Texting Compliance News: Regulatory Update February 2023. Senator James Lankford said I understand the House is going to try and skip the science and say were not going to look into that because people use it; were just going to allow it, said Lankford. The revenue generated by this federal tax would fund support restorative justice, public health programs, and safety research. Performance Rule Requires Disclosure of Relationship Tech Takeaways: SCOTUS Weighs in on Pivotal Tech Cases. This is misguided; this is wrong., Andy Biggs, a Republican from Arizona, referred to the bill as a piece of garbage, claiming it will legalize activity and businesses controlled by international drug cartels. . Ideology Vote Chart Key: The margin of victory was smaller this year, as opposed to 228-164 the first time the MORE Act passed the House. Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo. The bill would end federal prohibition of marijuana by removing it from the list of banned controlled substances. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. On Passage of the Bill in the House. There are also competing bills within the House. The MORE Act will reach the House floor for an official vote next week, and after that it could head to the Senate. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), for one, wouldnt say either way how hed vote. This week, a closer look at legislation that could have national implications. MORE Act Passes House Again. Schumer has said that his aim is to bring a comprehensive marijuana reform bill forward later this month, weeks after the Housepasseda bill that would remove marijuana from the federal controlled substances list. We are going to get this done for loving families across America. This was a vote to pass H.R. Cliff Bentz, a Republican from Oregon, managed the bills opposition, said the MORE Act is a bad and incomplete bill. Representing southern Oregon, where illegal cannabis grows have become a pervasive problem rife with organized crime, says a better bill would fund the police to battle issues like the illicit market. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Senate is set to advance the Respect for Marriage Act this week, a bill that would codify same-sex marriage into federal law. The MORE Act is thought to have an uphill battle in the Senate. It also updated rules earlier this month that could deny security clearances to prospective job candidates who invested in legal cannabis companies. For the MORE Act to pass the Senate, supporters would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. It was not taken up by the Senate, which had at the time been led by Republicans. The Cannabis Administrative and Opportunity (CAO) Act, the Senate's comprehensive marijuana bill, has yet to be filed in 2022. The bill is one of a number introduced recently to decriminalize and tax the drug. Arizona Gets to Keep Its State-Operated Workplace Safety and Health Manufacturers Legal Considerations for Staffing Reductions, PCAOB Enforcement Activity Up Sharply in 2022. The House passed similar legislation in December 2020, but it was not brought up for a vote in the Senate, which was controlled by Republicans at the time. He told The Verge he hopes the Senate will finally [pass the MORE Act] so the federal government can join dozens of states in putting an end to these unfair and outdated policies.. Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. Cannabis decriminalization is not going away and it is time we address the "elephant in the room" at a national level. As usual, the votes for the MORE Act closely followed party lines on both sides, 220-204 in favor of Democrats, repeating the scenario seen in December 2020. Source: house.gov . Waters of the United States and Winston Churchill. So who are they? A disappointed Runestad said now the expansion could lead to religious discrimination. For far too long, we have treated marijuana as a criminal justice problem, instead of as a matter of personal choice and public health., Troy Carter, a Democrat from Louisiana, said that 91% of Americans want some form of cannabis to be legal and that there are more important priorities cops should be focused on. Budget reconciliation is a special parliamentary procedure of the United States Congress set up to expedite the passage of certain budgetary legislation in the United States Senate.The procedure overrides the filibuster rules in the Senate, which may otherwise require a 60-vote supermajority for passage by the Senate. The last time the House passed the bill the Senate did not take it up to a vote. The House has already taken steps to reflect the emerging consensus on legalization: In December, it. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he doesnt support legalizing marijuana but does see value and legitimacy in medical cannabis. He also said that he used to support tough-on-marijuana policies earlier in his political career. 1996) to no avail. The choice of a lawyer or other professional is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Phil Scott is raising the red flag on the Affordable Heat Act. The MORE Act would also remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), provide an avenue for the expungement of federal cannabis arrest and convictions, and require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees. blocks DC from legalizing marijuana sales, Warner Bros. [18] . 2023 - Arkansas State Legislature - webmaster@arkleg.state.ar.us. Another key concern facing the cannabis industry, not included in the proposed legislation, is access to banking in states where cannabis sales are legal. Specifically, the bill would stop someone from firing, evicting or otherwise discriminating against an individual because they are LGBTQ. This bill simplifies and streamlines the process of beginning research and encourages the FDA to work on developing more cannabis-related medicines. . Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have weighed the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana for years,with some launchingambitious legislation to reduce criminal penalties for possession, levy taxes on and monitor the sale and distribution of the drug. The plan needed 60 votes to. This website uses cookies to allow you to log into the, House -- Returned by the Committee Do Pass. All states that have "legalized" cannabis over the last 10 years still technically are breaking the law due to preemption. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, but advocates say with Democrats controlling both houses of Congress, theyre more hopeful that the legislation will finally become law. 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