States Reform Act

Representative Nancy Mace (S.C.) introduced the States Reform Act of 2021 as H.R. 5977 on November 15, 2021. The bill is the first federal cannabis legalization proposal sponsored by a Republican lawmaker. While the reaction from the cannabis community has been mixed, some hope that this will lead to further dialogue about compromise legislation.

States Reform Act of 2021 Coverage

“Today, only 3 states lack some form of legal cannabis. My home state of South Carolina permits CBD, Florida allows medical marijuana, California and others have full recreational use, for example. Every state is different. Cannabis reform at the federal level must take all of this into account. And it’s past time federal law codifies this reality.”

“This is why I’m introducing the States Reform Act, a bill which seeks to remove cannabis from Schedule I in a manner consistent with the rights of states to determine what level of cannabis reform each state already has, or not.

“This bill supports veterans, law enforcement, farmers, businesses, those with serious illnesses, and it is good for criminal justice reform. Furthermore, a super-majority of Americans support an end to cannabis prohibition, which is why only 3 states in the country have no cannabis reform at all.

“The States Reform Act takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws. Washington needs to provide a framework which allows states to make their own decisions on cannabis moving forward. This bill does that.”

Rep. Nancy Mace, in a statement, on introducing States Reform Act

“I am a passionate supporter of a states’ rights approach to cannabis. For too long, the federal government has stood in the way of states that have acted to set their own cannabis policies. It is long past time to update our cannabis laws for the 21st Century,”

Representative Don Young (R-A.K.), House Cannabis Caucus Co-chair

States Reform Act Status

States Reform Act (H.R. 5977) Text

States Reform Act of 2021 Summary

The following PDF provides a break down, section by section, of what provisions are contained in H.R. 5977.

Source: Office of Rep. Nancy Mace

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  Wisconsin GOP medical cannabis bill gets 4/20 public hearingApril 20, 2022
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