On March 30th, bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced a package of three marijuana reform bills collectively being called the “Path to Marijuana Reform” aimed to “pave the way for responsible federal regulation of the legal marijuana industry, and provide certainty for state-legal marijuana businesses which operate in nearly every state in the U.S.”
The bills address a comprehensive number of issues including, but not limited to: taxation, banking, bankruptcy, asset forfeiture, descheduling or removal from Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (21 U.S.C. 812(c)), decriminalization, research and regulation.
“The Small Business Tax Equity Act” is being sponsored as S.777 by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and being co-sponsored by Senators Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and Patty Murray (D-Washington), the bill is also being introduced as companion legislation under H.R.1810 by Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-Florida) and is being co-sponsored by 8[1] additional representatives.
“Responsibly Addressing the Marijuana Policy Gap Act” is being sponsored as H.R.1824 by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) and is being co-sponsored by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
“Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act” is being sponsored as H.R.1823 by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) and is being co-sponsored by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
The “Path to Marijuana Reform” legislative package is the latest in what is becoming a long list of marijuana law reform introduced by federal legislators this year:
Additionally, according to The Cannabist, lawmakers have said that they plan to introduce additional legislation under the names “Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Medical Marijuana Amendment”[3] and the “McClintock-Polis Marijuana Amendment,” both spending-bill riders that would prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from using funds to prosecute individuals in medical marijuana states and recreational marijuana states, respectively.
For more information contact Medical Marijuana Practice Group for updates on Pennsylvania and Federal legislation affecting the Pennsylvania medical marijuana industry.
[1] Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Jared Polis (D – Colorado), Diana DeGette (D-Colorado), Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado), Denny Heck (D-Washington), Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon) and Adam Smith (D-Washington).
[2] Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Huffman (D-California) and Mark Pocan (D- Wisconsin).
[3] Amending Section 542 of “The Consolidated Appropriations Act”
April 07, 2017
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