On November 23, Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV) became the 100th House Democrat to join in co-sponsoring the MORE Act. Matt Gaetz of Florida is still the lone GOP sponsor.
Since the bill was reported out of committee, it has gained 25 new Democrat co-sponsors, but is still not scheduled to be taken up by the full House.
On September 30, the House judiciary committee, chaired by MORE Act sponsor Rep. Jerrold Nadler, approved the bill by a vote of 26 to 15.
Only a single House Republican, Matt Gaetz (FL), joined 75 Democrats in cosponsoring the MORE Act. The SAFE Banking Act, addressing financial services for cannabis businesses, passed with about three-fourths of the House voting in favor in April. It’s not clear, however, whether the minority will be as supportive of non-business reforms.
Cannabis banking still hasn’t moved in the Senate, but recent discussions bring some hope. Last month cannabis groups from across the country submitted comments on the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act draft. Democratic senators Chuck Schumer (NY), Cory Booker (NJ), and Ron Wyden (OR) may be able to prepare the way for agreement on comprehensive reform.
You can read statements of support issued after the judiciary committee vote from the Marijuana Policy Project and the National Cannabis Industry Association. We’ll continue to update this space with new developments.
Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2021 on May 28, 2021.
Nadler stated the goals of the legislation as follows:
The MORE Act would make three important changes to federal law:
- Remove marijuana, or cannabis, from the list of federally controlled substances;
- Authorize the provision of resources, funded by an excise tax on marijuana, to address the needs of communities that have been seriously impacted by the War on Drugs, including increasing the participation of communities of color in the burgeoning cannabis market; and
- Provide for the expungement of Federal marijuana convictions and arrests.
Contents
Original MORE Act News
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act Status
Text of MORE Act of 2021 (H.R. 3617)
Purpose: To decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes.
MORE-Act-of-2021-PiL- Advocate responds to SD high court overturning adult-use cannabis
South Dakota’s highest court sided with the state’s governor today in declaring an amendment legalizing cannabis invalid. Amendment A, which passed with 54% support, would have legalized cannabis for anyone over 21. - Organizer says next steps on Ohio adult-use cannabis by month’s end
Ohio attorney Thomas Haren, a representative of the “Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol,” said he expects that enough signatures will be gathered to move a proposal forward that would allow for adult use, sale, and possession of marijuana in Ohio. - Montana regulators will reverse proposed CBD, dispensary worker rules
The Montana Department of Revenue told lawmakers this week that it will strike a pair of proposed rules implementing the state’s fledgling recreational marijuana program after hearing considerable input from members of the public, the cannabis industry and legislators who warned that the rules veered from the intent of House Bill 701, an act passed this session regulating the adult-use pot. - Cannabis prices soar in Louisiana due to regulatory bottleneck
A regulatory bottleneck in Louisiana’s medical marijuana supply chain has inflated costs far beyond the prices found in other states, according to industry experts who testified at the Louisiana Legislature’s Medical Marijuana Commission meeting Thursday. - Critics say AZ ‘social equity’ program makes Big Cannabis even richer
“This is a program that, as currently written, is designed to fail,” attorney Julie Gunnigle said to Arizona Mirror. Gunnigle up until recently worked for Arizona’s Chapter of NORML, an organization that pushes for the reform of marijuana laws across the United States. - Bipartisan bill to reduce Wisconsin cannabis fines introduced
Wisconsin legislators are taking another crack at a bipartisan push to achieve cannabis reform in the state. A new piece of legislation, co-authored by Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Gibson), Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Valez (D-Milwaukee), Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) and Sen. Kathleen Bernier (R- Chippewa Falls), reduces existing penalties for cannabis possession. - Ret. Navy SEAL: Biden should support medical cannabis research bill
Cannabis is just another bullet in the bandolier, and I believe it has had a positive impact. It helps treat PTSD symptoms like anxiety, fear and flashbacks. Unfortunately, our military is still culturally behind and bears real animus toward the plant. - Ohio senators mulling major revisions to medical cannabis system
Ohio senators have filed legislation that represents a broad revision of the state’s medical marijuana system. Among the changes is language expanding access to the drug if a physician “reasonably” believes their patient’s symptoms would be relieved or they would otherwise benefit from marijuana. - Some Va. Republicans open to speeding retail sales of marijuana
Newly empowered Republicans in Virginia say plans to allow retail sales of recreational marijuana won’t necessarily be doomed under their control of the House of Delegates and Executive Mansion. And some say they’re open to speeding up the timeline for allowing retail sales, which is currently delayed until 2024. - Gov. Reeves: No immediate plans to call special session for nursing crisis, medical marijuana
Reeves, over the summer, regularly said he was open to calling a special session for medical marijuana and even the nursing crisis stopgap. But since lawmakers finalized bills for both programs, the governor has remained silent about whether he will call a special session at all.