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A North Carolina Senate committee on Tuesday approved a revised bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state. This comes one week after the panel held a hearing to discuss the legislation and approve changes, but members did not vote at that prior meeting. Senators advanced the measure this time in a voice vote. A previous version of the reform legislation cleared Judiciary and another committee last month, but it was rereferred earlier this month. The bill must still clear the Senate Health Care and Rules and Operations Committees in order to reach the floor before potentially heading to the…

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — Legalizing recreational marijuana in Connecticut has moved a step closer. On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee voted ‘yes,’ most Democrats saying ‘yes,’ as most Republicans voted ‘no.’ There’s no question that the pressure is on, especially now that New York has legalized marijuana and it’s been legal in Massachusetts for a few years. Legalizing recreational marijuana in Connecticut has moved a step closer. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont supports it, and wants it passed this year. “What we are trying to do as we maneuver through this process is to align our legalization effort in many respects as…

Recreational marijuana moved closer to reality Tuesday as Democrats in the Judiciary Committee sent the governor’s bill to create a recreational cannabis market to the full General Assembly, even though the proposal, by their own admission, is still half baked. “I will admit to members of this committee at the outset that this bill very much remains a work in progress,” said Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chair of the committee. The 200-plus page bill deals with finance, regulatory and licensing issues, Stafstrom said, but the primary question under the jurisdiction of the judiciary committee Tuesday was whether to legalize recreational…

A bill to legalize marijuana in Connecticut that’s being backed by the governor was approved by a key committee on Tuesday—but it “remains a work in progress,” the chairman said. The legislation, which has been amended since its introduction to include a series of new social equity provisions, advanced through the legislature’s Judiciary Committee after a 22-16 vote. But it’s not the only legalization bill that lawmakers are considering. A competing proposal from Rep. Robyn Porter (D) was approved in the Labor and Public Employees Committee last month. With the new amendments to Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) bill, the measures…

A Connecticut House committee on Thursday approved a bill to legalize marijuana, a notable development as lawmakers work to reconcile what they’re proposing with the governor’s reform plan. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Robyn Porter (D), cleared the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee in a 9-4 vote. Advocates have cheered the bill’s emphasis on social equity in the industry, and there’s optimism its language could be incorporated into Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) legalization proposal, which they have said is inadequate as introduced. Porter, who chairs the labor panel, said ending cannabis prohibition is “needed because of the disproportionate impact…

A Connecticut House committee on Thursday approved a bill to legalize marijuana, a notable development as lawmakers work to reconcile what they’re proposing with the governor’s reform plan. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Robyn Porter (D), cleared the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee in a 9-4 vote. Advocates have cheered the bill’s emphasis on social equity in the industry, and there’s optimism its language could be incorporated into Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) legalization proposal, which they have said is inadequate as introduced. Porter, who chairs the labor panel, said ending cannabis prohibition is “needed because of the disproportionate impact…

Washington, D.C. lawmakers on Friday held a joint hearing on a pair of bills to authorize the legal sale of recreational marijuana and significantly expand the existing medical cannabis program in the nation’s capital. The District Council’s Committee of the Whole, along with the Judiciary and Public Safety and Business and Economic Development Committees, took testimony from about 100 people on the legislation over the course of several hours. They heard numerous recommendations on the legalization proposal, ranging from enhancing social equity provisions to ensuring that medical cannabis patients continue to have access to their medicine to establishing regulations for…

“Optimism abounds” as Connecticut lawmakers work to advance a bill to legalize marijuana, House Speaker Matthew Ritter (D) said on Tuesday. Ritter made the comment during a virtual press briefing alongside Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D) and Judiciary Co-chair Steven Stafstrom (D) after the lawmakers were asked about the state of negotiations in the legislature to reconcile various pieces of cannabis legislation, including a plan put forward by Gov. Ned Lamont (D) last month. Rojas said he “wouldn’t say we’re close, but we’re not far off either,” adding that “in principle, equity is important to both the administration and the…