{"id":61175,"date":"2023-01-25T12:49:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T20:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/01\/25\/minnesota-marijuana-legalization-bill-receives-first-senate-committee-hearing-as-house-companion-advances\/"},"modified":"2023-01-25T17:45:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T01:45:41","slug":"minnesota-marijuana-legalization-bill-receives-first-senate-committee-hearing-as-house-companion-advances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/01\/25\/minnesota-marijuana-legalization-bill-receives-first-senate-committee-hearing-as-house-companion-advances\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Receives First Senate Committee Hearing As House Companion Advances"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A Minnesota Senate committee held a first hearing on a bill to legalize marijuana on Wednesday as companion legislation continues to advance through the House.<\/p>\n

The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee took up the bill from Sen. Lindsey Port (D) and advanced it without a recommendation in a voice vote, marking the first time that a legalization proposal has ever moved in the chamber.<\/p>\n

The chair of the committee said at the beginning of the hearing that he and the sponsor have agreed for the bill to return to the panel at a later date before it potentially moves to the floor. Its next step, however, will be the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee on Thursday.<\/p>\n

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A bill that would legalize adult-use cannabis and automatically expunge non-felony records is receiving its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The majority of Minnesotans agree: the current cannabis laws in MN are doing more harm than good. It’s time to #LegalizeIt<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Minnesota Senate DFL (@SenateDFL) January 25, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Meanwhile, the House companion measure moved through its third committee on Tuesday<\/a>, and it\u2019s scheduled to go before another panel on Thursday. There are still several more stops on its path to the floor of that body.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prohibition of cannabis is a failed system that has not achieved the desired goals and has had incredible costs for our communities, especially for communities of color,\u201d Port said at the hearing on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an opportunity today to start the process to undo some of the harm that has been done and to create a system of regulation that works for Minnesota consumers and businesses while ensuring an opportunity in this new market for communities that have been affected by prohibition,\u201d the senator said. \u201cOur main goals are to legalize, regulate and expunge and we are working to ensure that this bill does just that.\u201d<\/p>\n

This Senate development comes one day after the governor released his biennial budget request<\/a>, which included proposed funding to implement marijuana legalization and expungements, and made projections about the millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue that his office estimates the state will earn after the reform is enacted.<\/p>\n

Port emphasized at the Wednesday hearing that the legalization legislation will go through a thorough vetting in 18 committees and likely be amended and refined \u201cover the next month or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

With majorities in both the House and Senate and control over the governorship this session, Democratic-Farmer-Labor party officials are confident that legalization will be enacted in short order following the extensive committee consideration.<\/p>\n

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The current legislation is an iteration of the 2021 House-passed bill from former Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D), who now serves as campaign chairman of the advocacy coalition MN is Ready. That group announced last month that it would be lobbying for the measure<\/a>\u00a0while leading a grassroots effort to build support for reform.<\/p>\n

Gov. Tim Walz (D) has called on supporters to join lawmakers and the administration in their push legalize marijuana this session, and\u00a0he circulated an email blast this month<\/a>\u00a0that encourages people to sign a petition backing the reform.<\/p>\n

Much of the revised bill that\u2019s advancing through committee is consistent with Winkler\u2019s legislation, though there are a few key changes, in addition to the newly adopted amendments. For example, it adds a new license category for businesses that sell \u201clower-potency edible products\u201d under Minnesota\u2019s unique THC law that the governor signed last year.<\/a><\/p>\n

There would also be reduced regulatory requirements for those licensees, and they\u2019d be able to permit on-site consumption if they have a liquor license, which is meant to ensure that shops currently selling low-THC beverages and edibles don\u2019t face disruption.<\/p>\n

During Wednesday\u2019s meeting<\/a>, members adopted an amendment that largely puts the Senate version in line with the current form of the House bill that has been revised by panels in that chamber since its introduction.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

It makes a number of technical changes, including by aligning statutory provisions on medical cannabis qualifying conditions and approved product forms with those that have already been approved administratively by regulators. It also adds limits on cannabigerol potency for cannabis edibles.<\/p>\n

The bill also now calls for the inclusion of tribal representatives on a new Cannabis Advisory Council that would be established. And it was revised incorporate a House revision requiring regulators to include a section in an annual report on adverse health effects related to secondhand cannabis exposure and to amend language on certain local zoning requirements.<\/p>\n

The Senate committee amendment also temporarily zeroes out monetary appropriations for various agencies to support their efforts to implement legalization, as a fiscal analysis has not been completed for the legislation.<\/p>\n

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By legalizing adult-use cannabis, expunging criminal records for low-level cannabis offenses, and ensuring a well-regulated market, Minnesota will be on course to joining the growing number of states that have experienced the benefits of \u200bsafe and legal recreational cannabis.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Minnesota Senate DFL (@SenateDFL) January 25, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Here are the main components of the revised marijuana legalization\u00a0bill<\/a>, SF 73:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adults 21 and older could purchase up to two ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to eight plants, four of which could be mature.<\/p>\n

They could possess up to two ounces in a public place and up to five pounds in a private dwelling.<\/p>\n

Gifting up to two ounces of marijuana without remuneration between adults would be permitted.<\/p>\n

It would promote social equity, in part by ensuring that diverse licensing by scoring equity applicants higher.<\/p>\n

Prior marijuana records would also be automatically expunged. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension would be responsible for identifying people who are eligible for relief and process the expungements.<\/p>\n

In addition to creating a system of licensed cannabis businesses, municipalities and counties could own and operate government dispensaries.<\/p>\n

On-site consumption permits could be approved for events, and cannabis delivery services would be permitted under the bill.<\/p>\n

Unlike in many legal states, local municipalities would be banned from prohibiting marijuana businesses from operating in their areas, though they could set \u201creasonable\u201d regulations on the time of operation and location of those businesses.<\/p>\n

Retail cannabis sales would be taxed at eight percent. Part of that revenue would fund substance misuse treatment programs, as well as grants to support farmers.<\/p>\n

A new Office of Cannabis Management would be established, and it would be responsible for regulating the market and issuing cannabis business licenses. There would be a designated Division of Social Equity.<\/p>\n

People living in low-income neighborhoods and military veterans who lost honorable status due to a cannabis-related offense would be considered social equity applicants eligible for priority licensing.<\/p>\n

The legislation as revised fixes an issue in current statute that prohibits liquor stores from selling THC products.<\/p>\n

It also contains language banning synthetic cannabinoids, which is consistent with Board of Pharmacy rules put into place last year.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers and the governor have expressed optimism about the prospects of legalization this session, especially with Democrats newly in control of both chambers, whereas last session they only had a House majority.<\/p>\n

Following their election win in November,\u00a0Democrats internally agreed to discuss the issue<\/a>\u00a0imminently.<\/p>\n

House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) said recently that she expects cannabis reform to be included in the governor\u2019s forthcoming budget request, though she reiterated that the reform \u201cwill take a long time\u201d to move through the legislature.<\/p>\n

While marijuana reform was excluded from a list of legislative priorities that Democrats unveiled this month, Hortman said that the issue is \u201ca priority,\u201d albeit a \u201cvery big, complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

The governor\u00a0included funding for implementing legalization<\/a>\u00a0in his last executive budget request, but lawmakers were unable to enact the policy change. He and Hortman have differing opinions about how quickly the issue can advance this session, however, with Walz\u00a0recently saying it would be done \u201cby May\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and the speaker indicating it could take until next year.<\/p>\n

Winkler told Marijuana Moment earlier this month that he agrees with the governor, saying \u201cit is likely that [passing legalization] will be done by May.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason is that the legislature adjourns until next year at the end of May, and so if they don\u2019t do it in that timeline, it\u2019ll take another full year\u2014and I don\u2019t think anything will be improved or bettered by waiting,\u201d he said. \u201cSo it\u2019s in everyone\u2019s interest to get this bill passed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two polls released in September found that the majority of Minnesota residents\u00a0support adult-use marijuana legalization<\/a>\u2014and one survey showed that even more Minnesotans approve of the state\u2019s move to legalize THC-infused edibles that was enacted earlier this year.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0survey conducted by officials with the House<\/a>\u00a0at the annual State Fair that was released in September also found majority support for legalization. That legislature-run poll found that 61 percent of Minnesotans back legalizing cannabis for adult use.<\/p>\n

Support was up this year from 58 percent when the House Public Information Services\u00a0polled fair goers on the issue in 2021<\/a>. In 2019,\u00a0the House poll found 56 percent<\/a>\u00a0support for legalization.<\/p>\n

\n

Despite Congressional Blockade, D.C. Lawmakers File Marijuana Sales Bill With Reparations Funding For Criminalization Victims<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Receives First Senate Committee Hearing As House Companion Advances<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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A Minnesota Senate committee held a first hearing on a bill to legalize marijuana on Wednesday as companion legislation continues to advance through the House. The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee took up the bill from Sen. Lindsey Port (D) and advanced it without a recommendation in a voiceContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":61176,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61175"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61175"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61177,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61175\/revisions\/61177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}