US Regulatory Updates: Here's The Latest In Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, New Mexico & Louisiana

Minnesota Legalization Bill Moves Closer To Becoming Law

• A bill to legalize marijuana in Minnesota has cleared its final House committee and is reportedly headed for a floor vote. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Zack Stephenson (D), passed the House Ways and Means Committee in a voice vote on Monday, following a journey through 15 panels.
• Meanwhile, the Senate version from Sen. Lindsey Port (D) has advanced through its second-to-last panel, with a 6-3 vote from the Taxes Committee. Stephenson emphasized the racially disproportionate enforcement of criminalization and the fiscal cost of prohibition. “Minnesotans want this change. They’re ready for it,” he said.

Ohio Lawmakers Look To Revise Dispensary Regulations

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is pushing for the state Department of Commerce to take over regulatory responsibilities from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy for MMJ dispensaries.
• The changes would include patient and caregiver registration, criminal background checks of dispensary employees, maintenance of a toll-free line for inquiries about the medical marijuana program, and selecting which businesses receive dispensary licenses. Moreover, these changes are part of the governor's budget proposal and are under consideration in the Ohio House.

Missouri Lawmakers Propose Bill To Regulate Delta-8

• A Missouri lawmaker wants to close loopholes that allow minors to get high on delta-8.
• Currently, the state doesn't have any legal age restrictions to buy delta-8, which has weaker effects than traditional marijuana.
• The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Kurtis Gregory would force the state's Department of Health and Senior Services to regulate delta-8 products and limit sales to dispensaries with a DHSS license, preventing minors from accessing the product.

New Mexico Governor Vetoes Drug Sentencing Reform Bills

• New Mexico's Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has reportedly vetoed two sentencing reform bills aimed at ending incarceration for simple drug possession.
• The proposals, passed by the legislature, were intended to shift funds from jail time to harm reduction and treatment programs. However, the governor argued that incarceration could be used as a threat to motivate people to seek treatment.
• Cannabis advocates Emily Kaltenbach of the Drug Policy Alliance and Nayomi Valdez of the ACLU of New Mexico were disappointed by the governor's decision, saying it perpetuates the negative impact of the criminal legal system on people with drug problems.

Louisiana to Retain Tax Stamps For Grey Market Marijuana Sales

• A Louisiana House committee voted against repealing a tax on the sale of illegal marijuana. The program requires dealers to purchase stamps for each parcel of illegal marijuana sold, with each stamp costing $3.50 and adding nearly $100 tax to each ounce of marijuana, per LA Illuminator.
• House Bill 492, sponsored by Rep. Joe Marino, I-Gretna, aims to abolish the program, but it was defeated on a 6-7 vote. While Marino argued that the program had not been enforced in 31 years, the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association opposed the bill, with concerns raised that repealing the program would limit law enforcement's ability to tackle drug crime.
• Meanwhile, Louisiana regulators permitted the sale of illegal hemp products, but an audit has found that the Louisiana health department allowed over 200 intoxicating hemp products to be sold and marketed in violation of state law, which limits hemp products to no more than 8 milligrams of THC per serving and prohibits vaporizer pens. 
• According to MjBiz Daily, the health department has cited staffing issues and the hemp industry's ability to find ways around state law as reasons for its failure to enforce the regulations.

Photo: Courtesy Of Aaron Burden On Unsplash