The Vermont Senate passes marijuana legalization, DC enjoys the benefits of legalization, Pennsylvania will finally get a vote on medical marijuana, and more.
Vermont Senate Votes to Legalize Marijuana. The state Senate today voted 17-12 today to approve a bill that would end marijuana prohibition in the state and replace it will system of taxation and regulation. The vote today was the second Senate vote this week to approve the bill, which will now go to the House for consideration. The measure, Senate Bill 241, would allow people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, but not to grow it after some powerful lawmakers said that provision would be a deal-breaker. Instead, the bill now contains a provision to create a study commission to examine home cultivation and the issue of edibles, which are also not allowed. The bill also envisions a system of tightly regulated commercial marijuana cultivation, testing, and distribution, which would include licensed retail marijuana outlets.
DC Marijuana Arrests Plummet in Year After Legalization. On Friday, the District celebrates a year of marijuana legalization, and one of the things it's celebrating is a dramatic decrease in people being sucked into the criminal justice system for pot. Overall, marijuana arrests declined 85% from 2014 to 2015, and pot possession arrests declined by an amazing 98%, from 1,840 in 2014 to only 32 in 2015.
Medical Marijuana
Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Bill to Get House Vote. A long stalled medical marijuana bill will get a House vote after House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana County) agreed to quit holding up the measure. The move prompted a supportive statement from Gov. Bill Wolf (D), who said, "I support the legalization of medical marijuana and I believe it is long past time to provide this important medical relief to patients and families across the commonwealth… It is time to legalize medical marijuana because we should not deny doctor-recommended treatment that could help people suffering from seizures or cancer patients affected by chemotherapy. I urge quick action by the legislature to legalize medical marijuana."
Georgia House Committee Expands Qualifying Conditions. The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee Wednesday approved adding seven medical conditions to the state's CBD cannabis oil program. Included are autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and HIV or AIDS, among others. The bill, House Bill 722, now goes to the House Rules Committee. But bill sponsor Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon) isn't so pleased -- the bill was designed to allow cultivation of CBD cannabis oil in the state, but that provision was gutted in committee.
Asset Forfeiture
US Senator Kelly Ayotte Files Bill to Restore Asset Forfeiture Funding for Cops. Sen. Ayotte (R-NH) Wednesday filed Senate Bill 2576, which would require the federal government to recommence distributing funds from the Justice Department's Asset Forfeiture Program. The Justice Department turned off the asset forfeiture spigot last year, and state and local law enforcement agencies have lost nearly $1.2 billion they would have used for drug investigations.
Wyoming Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Passes Legislature. The House Wednesday gave unanimous final approval to Senate File 46, which would reform -- but not end -- civil asset forfeiture. It requires law enforcement officials to consult with the attorney general on whether to proceed with forfeiture and a hearing before a judge within 30 days. It also shifts the burden of proof to the government to show there is "clear and convincing" evidence the property was involved in a crime. Gov. Matt Mead (R) last year vetoed a bill to end civil asset forfeiture, and similar legislation this year went nowhere.
Drug Testing
Michigan Driver Drug Testing Bill Stirs Opposition. A bill that aims to set up a pilot program allowing state police to conduct roadside saliva testing for marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs has passed the Senate, but is stirring opposition as it moves through the House. The bill, Senate Bill 434, is "bad science" and would set a "dangerous precedent," said criminal defense attorney Neil Rockind. "A pilot program is a test program and, in this case, treats people as guinea pigs to be studied," he said. "People are not guinea pigs. No citizen should be the subject of a test program when their liberty and way of life are on the line." The bill is currently before the Michigan House Judiciary Committee.
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