After months of intensive committee discussion, the Minnesota House of Representatives is finally going to debating and voting on a bill that would legalize marijuana.
Now, the legislation of Rep. Zack Stephenson’s (D), which has been passed through 15 committees this session, will be taken up in front of members who will examine nearly two dozen amended bills that have been submitted.
A companion Senate version will be heading to its last committee stop on the Senate floor on Friday.
Stephenson, speaking at a Monday morning press conference before the House session, said: “I expect this to be the year that we accomplish the task.” Our current laws do more harm than good. Minnesotans are looking for a cannabis policy which makes sense and is adaptable to the modern world.
Watch House debate on marijuana legalization below:
The House and Senate bills were amended many times during this process. Lawmakers worked to incorporate feedback from the public, revise policy around tax structures and the market, and tighten language.
A Senate panel , for example, adopted a comprehensive alternative by the sponsor during a committee meeting in March. This was primarily to address the concerns of industry stakeholders operating under the cannabis law enacted in the state which legalized low-THC infused edibles. In committee, the House bill underwent a similar process of major revisions.
If the Senate approves its version of the bill, it’s likely a bipartisan conference committee will be needed to resolve any outstanding differences. Legislative session ends May 22. This gives lawmakers just a few weeks before the end of the legislative session to finalize a product.
With majorities in both the House and Senate and control over the governorship this session, Democratic-Farmer-Labor party officials have been expressing confidence that legalization will be enacted this year.
The Minnesota House is voting today to legalize marijuana for adults over 21 years old, expunge minor cannabis convictions and create a regulated marketplace that provides support and prevents access by youth. #mnleg
Read the bill here: https://t.co/4zhkmbDMdf
Minnesota House DFL Minority (@mnhouseDFL). April 24, 2023
Gov. Tim Walz (D), , released his biennial Budget Request, in January. This included funding for marijuana legalization, expungements and projections of the millions in cannabis tax revenues that his office believes the state will receive after the reform has been enacted.
The bill that is being advanced is a version of the 2021 House passed bill by former Majority leader Ryan Winkler, who is now serving as campaign chair of the advocacy coalition MN Is Ready.
In January , the governor sent out an email encouraging people to sign the petition in support of the reform.
The majority of amendments filed on Monday for the House Floor are by GOP members, and most of them will be rejected. Stephenson had said earlier that day that he expected at least some Republican amendments to be accepted.
Before the hearing, the sponsor submitted an amendment that would give certain members of legislative staff priority when adopting retired police dogs after legalization.
These are the main components in the revised marijuana legalization bill, HF100 and SF73.
Adults over 21 could buy and possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana in public. They could also grow up to 8 plants at home. Four of them could be mature.
The House bill allows people to have up to 1.5 lbs of cannabis in their private residence, while the Senate bill allows up to 5 lbs.
Adults can give each other up to 2 ounces of marijuana for free.
Previous marijuana records will also be automatically expunged. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will be responsible for identifying those who qualify for relief and processing the expungements.
Municipalities and counties can also own and run government dispensaries in addition to creating an entire system of cannabis businesses.
The bill allows for cannabis delivery services and on-site consumption permits to be granted at events.
Local municipalities will not be allowed to prohibit marijuana businesses from operating within their jurisdictions, but they can set “reasonable regulations” on the hours of operation and locations of these businesses.
The House bill would tax cannabis at eight percent. After that, the commissioner of Management and Budget would adjust the rate twice a year to ensure revenues are equal or don’t significantly exceed the costs incurred by different agencies in implementing legalization. The Senate bill would impose a tax of 10 percent on marijuana sales, which wouldn’t change over time.
The tax revenue will be used to fund programs for substance abuse treatment and grants to farmers.
The Office of Cannabis Management, which would regulate the market and issue cannabis business licenses, would be created. A designated Division of Social Equity would be created.
This legislation promotes social equity in part by giving higher scores to equity applicants. Social equity applicants would include people who live in low-income areas and veterans who lost their honorable status because of a cannabis-related crime. The House bill also states that those who are convicted cannabis crimes or have a family member who has been convicted would qualify.
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Before it was brought to the House floor, this bill had been vetted in numerous committees. The bill passed the Ways and Means Committee and Taxes Committee. It also passed the Transportation Finance and Policy Committee and Health Finance and Policy Committee.
Senate committees have approved the bill so far: Rules and Administration Committee, State and Local Government and Veterans Committee, Labor Committee, Human Services Committee, Health and Human Services Committee, Transportation Committee, Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee, Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee, Jobs and Economic Development Committee, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, and Judiciary and Public Safety Committee twice.
Marijuana is likely to be legalized in Minnesota as soon as the House votes, the Senate passes the final bill and all outstanding issues are resolved, including the tax provisions.
The House hearing on Monday comes just days after Delaware Governor announced that he will allow two bills , which legalize cannabis and regulate its sale , to become law without his signature .
Minnesota lawmakers and governor are optimistic about the chances of legalization in this session. This is especially true now that Democrats have taken control of both chambers. Last session, they had only a House majority.
Democrats agreed internally to discuss the issue as soon as possible after their November election victory.
The House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) predicted at the start of the session, that legalization would take a “long time” and could even extend to next year. This prediction did not come true.
Walz’s timeline has proven to be more accurate, since he stated late last year that the project would be completed “by May.”
Winkler launched a THC drink company just recently. He told Marijuana Moment previously that he was in agreement with the Governor, saying that “it’s likely that [passing of legalization] will happen by May.”
Two surveys released in September showed that most Minnesota residents supported the legalization of adult-use marijuana. One survey also revealed that more Minnesotans approved of the state’s decision to legalize THC infused edibles, which was implemented last year.
In September, a poll conducted by members of the House during the State Fair found that the majority also supported legalization. This legislature-run survey found that 61 per cent of Minnesotans support legalizing cannabis for adults.
The support for legalization was higher this year than in 2021 when the House Public Information Services surveyed fair-goers. The House poll in 2019 found that 56 percent supported legalization.
Delaware Governor Will Let Marijuana Legalization Bills Become Law
Photo by Mike Latimer.
The post Watch live: Minnesota House debates and votes on Marijuana Legalization Bill first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
