Chronicle AM: VT Legalization Bill Advances, ID Senate Approves Forfeiture Reform, More... (3/22/17)

Legalization bills are still alive in Rhode Island and Vermont, Idaho (!) is on the verge of passing civil asset forfeiture reform, North Dakota activists are threatening to strike back if the legislature messes too much with the state's new voter-approved medical marijuana law, and more.

Marijuana legislation is on the move in Montpelier. (Creative Commons/Wikimedia)

Rhode Island Legislators Say They Have Votes to Legalize Marijuana. Two state legislators who have spearheaded the effort to legalize marijuana said on Tuesday they have majority support in both chambers to pass marijuana legalization -- if the legislative leadership allows the bills to get to a vote. Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence), sponsor of House Bill 5555, and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston), sponsor of companion measure Senate Bill 420, said at a press conference said the House bill is sponsored by one-third of House members and the Senate bill by 15 of 38 senators, and that others don't want to support the bill publicly, but have pledged their private support. Both bills are currently before their respective judiciary committees.

Vermont Legalization Bill Wins Committee Vote. The House Judiciary Committee approved a marijuana legalization bill on an 8-3 vote Wednesday. House Bill 170 would allow adults to possess and grow small amounts of marijuana, but does not contemplate legal marijuana commerce. The bill now heads for a House floor vote.

Medical Marijuana

North Dakota Advocates Threaten Lawsuit or New Initiative in Face of Legislative Meddling. The head of the committee that ran the state's successful medical marijuana initiative campaign warned legislators Tuesday that they could face a legal challenge or even another initiative campaign if they don't back away from changes contemplated in Senate Bill 2344, which has already passed the Senate. That measure bars patients and caregivers from growing their own plants and restricts the use of smoked medical marijuana to cases where a physician attests that no other form of marijuana would be effective. The comments came from Rilie Ray Morgan as he testified before the House Human Services Committee.

Tennessee Medical Marijuana Bill Dies. Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Crosby) said Tuesday that his medical marijuana bill, House Bill 495, is dead because senators were afraid to vote for it. "The Senate, bless their heart, are just scared to death of their voters," Faison said Tuesday after the House Health Committee shelved the bill and instead approved a non-binding marijuana-related resolution to study the issue over the summer.

Hemp

Texas Hemp Bill Filed. Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) has filed House Bill 3587, which would legalize the production and processing of industrial hemp for commercial purposes. The bill would direct the state Agriculture Department to set up a licensing and regulation program for hemp.

Asset Forfeiture

Idaho Senate Approves Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform. The state Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved House Bill 172, which would limit civil asset forfeiture to cases involving drug trafficking -- not simple possession -- and would clarify that simply being in possession of large amounts of cash is not evidence drug trafficking. The bill has already passed the House, but must now go back for a concurrence vote after the Senate amended by heightening reporting requirements, among other things.