Stay On Top Of Pot Regulations: Oklahoma GOP Hopes Legalization Fails, Student-Run Expungement Clinics & More

Oklahoma GOP Leaders Root For Weed Legalization Initiative To Fail

"We encourage you to get out the vote on March 7 and ask you to vote NO on SQ 820," urged party leaders to voters in a letter on Monday, reported by Marijuana Moment.

After the state Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit seeking to put the measure on last fall's ballot, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a special election allowing Oklahomans to vote on the state's Question 820 in 2023.

What Would SQ 820 Do & Why Some GOP Members Are Against It?

State Question 820, would legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, as well as overturn cannabis convictions and enable those people affected to have their criminal records expunged.

It will also generate state revenue for essential priorities, including schools, health care, local governments and lawmakers to regulate the industry to protect public health and safety.

However, GOP members have raised concerns around marijuana and children's safety, namely "a disallowance of evidence of marijuana use in child custody cases."

"Under SQ 820, courts would not be allowed to test for marijuana use," the letter continues, "and would in fact, not be allowed to consider use when determining the best interests of a child."

According to Tulsa World, members of a joint legislative panel approved a measure this week that seeks to grant Oklahoma State Election Board more money to conduct the March 7 special election.

Student-Run Clinic Offers Path To Clearing Marijuana Convictions

A student duo from the University of Arizona's law school is helping people with marijuana records to get them cleared through their expungement clinics on campus, writes KGUN 9.

Mia Burcham and Rebecca Caro Cohen are using public access court records to determine disposition dates for those seeking legal aid. To get someone's record expunged, Burcham and Cohen only need information on when and where the person received the charge or arrest.

"It's a great feeling when someone walks out with a cleared record," Burcham said. "It could be pretty life-changing."

Illinois Lawmakers Focus On Equity With New Cannabis Working Group

Democratic members of the Illinois House formed a cannabis working group last week that will help boost the state's marijuana industry while focusing on the equity goals set in the 2019 legalization law, reported Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), who earlier warned about a "disparity in ownership between the people it [legalization law] was intended to help and those it helped to become millionaires," agreed to lead the new group.

He explained that the group's efforts would mainly revolve around ensuring that individuals who have invested in the industry are successful while addressing the consequences of the war on drugs on communities of color, such as marijuana-related arrests.

"Our goal was to make sure that those communities that were hardest hit by the war on drugs actually could benefit from this industry by having the ability to open up in those communities and hire people from those communities," Ford said.

Last year, cannabis equity advocates and business owners warned that Illinois' social equity program is "on the verge of collapse" due to the state's laborious rules and regulations. Ambrose Jackson of the 1937 Group said that those running equity businesses ended up sidelined for years, while cannabis companies that were among the first to enter the new market prospered.

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Gets Approved By Another Senate Committee

Minnesota senators have advanced a measure to legalize marijuana from Sen. Lindsey Port (D), reported Marijuana Moment.

The Health and Human Services Committee greenlighted the bill in a voice vote, becoming the sixth Senate panel to do so.

"We're taking it seriously because it has done significant harm to our communities—the prohibition of cannabis has done significant harm to our communities," Port said on Tuesday. "And we see it as critical that we do what we can to undo that harm."

Separately, a companion measure is advancing through House, with House Health Finance and Policy Committee members approving the bill to legalize recreational cannabis in the state last week.

Medical Marijuana Licensing: Unveiling High Costs In North Carolina

Senate members are poised to vote on a medical marijuana bill this week that would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis to those with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, epilepsy and PTSD.

Industry stakeholders and cannabis advocates are optimistic regarding the bill's passage during this year's session, even though fees to get a license remain steep, reported CBS 17.

"I say extremely confident because a lot of the things regarding health and safety that are now written in the bill," said Lorenzo McNulty, owner of McNulty Manor Cannabis Company. He added that those willing to get licensed will need to set aside $50,000 for applying, $5,000 for each store selling cannabis and $250 per individual employee.

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Photo: Courtesy of Ramdlon, ganjaspliffstoreuk by Pixabay