State & Local Legislatures

Saipan -- no pot in paradise (image from Wikimedia)

Northern Marianas Islands Senate Kills Marijuana Legalization Bill

A pot legalization bill passed the House in the US territory of the Northern Marianas Islands a couple of weeks ago, but now it has been killed in the Senate.

patients share victory hug after passage of legislation, January 2010

New Jersey Medical Marijuana Regulation Reform Bill Stalled

The effort to roll back overly restrictive medical marijuana regulations in New Jersey hit a bump in the state Senate Monday, but it's not dead yet.

Proposed Medical Marijuana Rules Again Face Scrutiny from N.J. Lawmakers

New Jersey lawmakers today will seek to change rules proposed by the Christie administration over medical marijuana. Some lawmakers say the rules don't follow the intent of the law they passed earlier this year to make New Jersey the 14th state to allow medical marijuana.

Northern California Cities Bring Marijuana Growing Into the Light

As numerous cities get set to levy voter-approved taxes on medical marijuana retailers, some municipalities in northern California are already moving aggressively toward creating government-sanctioned marijuana farms to help supply them. Cities hope to rake in even more tax revenue from medical marijuana cultivation, which has remained in the shadows although it has been legal in the state since 1996.

Feature: Two Marijuana Legalization Initiatives Have Been Filed in California for Next Year's Ballot

It appears increasingly likely that Californians will have a chance to vote on marijuana legalization next year. Two initiatives have been filed, one that would create legalization, one that would create semi-legalization. Is now the right time? Opinion in the movement is divided.

coming to Oakland -- licensed commercial-scale marijuana grows (Wikimedia)

Oakland Okays Medical Marijuana Mega-Grows

Oakland is set to become the first city in the nation to tax and regulate large-scale medical marijuana grow ops after a Tuesday night vote at the city council.

Will Illinois Lawmakers Legalize Medical Marijuana?

Lawmakers are deciding whether Illinois will become the 16th state to legalize medical marijuana. Illinois lawmakers are in Springfield for a veto session and SB 1381 is one of the bills up for discussion. The bill was written by state Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton), a former prosecutor.

L.A. City Council Eases Restrictions on Medical Marijuana Outlets

The City Council tweaked its medical marijuana ordinance today to ease restrictions that would have drastically reduced the number of dispensaries allowed to continue operating in Los Angeles. Councilman Paul Koretz said that under the original ordinance, "we would have, I believe, unintentionally and erroneously disqualified some dispensaries...and these (amendments) would reinstate some that I believe would have been removed by mistake."

Saipan -- moving toward a tropical paradise

Marianas Islands Marijuana Legalization Bill Passes House

The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands has become the first US territory to see a marijuana legalization bill pass a legislative chamber.

Feature: Washington Marijuana Legalization Initiative Aims for November Ballot

There is a chance that the entire West Coast could be voting on legalizing marijuana in November. We've already reported on California and Oregon -- see below -- and this week, we take a look at the legalization initiative campaign in Washington state.

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