A Review of all the Cannabis legislation introduced in the Maryland State Legislature

 Bill#Cross File#TitleDescriptionSenate Hearing and VotingHouse Hearing and VotingSenate Lead Sponsor(s)House Lead Sponsor(s)
1HB0217SB0900Income Tax – Subtraction Modification – Expenses of Medical Cannabis Grower, Processor, Dispensary, or Independent Testing LaboratoryThis bill allows what is known as a “subtraction modification” for MD income taxes for any expenses incurred during the year as a medical cannabis grower, processor, dispensary, or testing laboratory.In the Senate – Hearing 3/09 at 1:00 p.m., Budget and TaxationWays and Means 1/21/2021 – 1:30 PM
Health and Government Operations
Senator PetersDelegate Wilkins
2HB0032N/ACannabis – Legalization and Regulation (Inclusion, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Act of 2021)This bill established age limits and defines civil offenses for cannabis.  It also has parts that include civil offenses for unlawful cultivation, licensing requirements for cannabis establishments. It also outlines the ATF’s responsibility for licensing cannabis establishments.N/AIn the House – Hearing 2/16 at 1:30 p.m. (Judiciary)
Health and Government Operations
N/ADelegate Lewis, J.
3HB0453N/AHealth – Medical Cannabis Reauthorization ActThis bill repeals the limit on the number of licenses the MD Cannabis Commission may give to growers and processors. It also stops the Commission from rescinding preapprovals and repeals the requirement to decrease licenses in favor of conducting studies for the future number of licenses.N/AIn the House – hearing 2/16 at 1:30pm, Health and Government OperationsN/ADelegate Barnes, D.
4HB0581SB0486Labor and Employment – Employment Standards During an Emergency (Maryland Essential Workers’ Protection Act)This bill involves essential employees and their rights. It requires essential employers to notify their employees about hazard pay, take safety actions while in emergency situations, and have a non-retaliation policy against those essential workers. It also allows the employee to refuse work in certain situations.In the Senate – Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m.2/05/2021 – 11:00 AM
Appropriations Economic Matters
Sen AugustineDelegate Davis, D.E.
5HB0706N/AMedical Cannabis – Dispensary Grower–Processor LicenseThis bill requires the MD Cannabis Commission to license growers and processers to be able to function if certain requirements are met. The growers and processors must provide and application, must not have any negative disciplinary actions by the committee, and must meet all deadlines. This bill also requires the Commission to establish an application review process.N/AIn the House – Hearing 2/16 at 1:30 p.m., Health and Government OperationsN/ADelegate Ivey
6HB0324SB0143Criminal Law – Marijuana – Possession and Possession With Intent to DistributeThis bill increases the amount of cannabis that defines criminal vs. civil offenses from 10 grams to one ounce.  It also denotes that a person in possession of less than an ounce is not in violation of certain cannabis legislative provisions.In the Senate – Hearing 1/20 at 11:00 a.m. Judicial ProceedingsIn the Senate – First Reading, Judicial Proceedings In the House JudiciarySens Waldstreicher and CarterDelegate Moon
7HB0415N/AFirearms – Right to Purchase, Own, Possess, and Carry – Medical CannabisThis bill guarantees the right of a medical cannabis user to purchase, own, possess, or carry a gun. It also states that medical cannabis is legal and the State should not penalize a user because medical cannabis is legal.N/AIn the house – Hearing 3/10 at 1:30pm, JudiciaryN/ADelegate Grammer
8HB0488N/ACriminal Law – Use or Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance – De Minimis QuantityThis bill makes certain violations of certain quantities of controlled substances a civil offense rather than a criminal misdemeanor. It changes the penalties for possession of less than 1- grams from “marijuana” to use or possession of a “de minimis quantity” of specific controlled substances.N/AIn the House – Hearing 2/02 at 1:30 p.m., Judiciary Delegate Moon
9HB0543SB0190Firearms – Right to Purchase, Possess, and Carry – Use of Medical CannabisThis bill states that a person cannot be denied their right to purchase, carry, and possess a gun/firearm because they are a medical cannabis user.In the Senate – Favorable Report by Judicial ProceedingsIn the House – Hearing 3/10 at 1:30 p.m. JudiciarySenator HoughDelegate Hornberger
10HB0683SB0461Workers’ Compensation – Medical Cannabis – Compensation and BenefitsThis bill states that a person can be denied workers’ compensation and benefits if they use medical cannabis without the written certification of a certifying provider or physician.In the Senate – Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m., FinanceIn the House – Hearing 2/09 at 1:30 p.m., Economic Matters, Health and Government OperationsSenator FeldmanDelegate Valderrama
11HB0925N/AWorkgroup on Medical Cannabis Use by Pregnant and Nursing WomenThis bill establishes a Workgroup on Medical Cannabis use by Pregnant and Nursing Women including its composition, chairman, and staffing. The members of the Workgroup are restricted from taking certain compensation but are reimbursed for expenses. It also requires the Workgroup to report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly no later than December 31, 2020.N/AIn the House – Hearing 3/09 at 1:30 p.m., Health and Government OperationsN/ADelegate Arikan
12SB0504N/ADiscrimination in Employment – Use of Medical Cannabis – ProhibitionThis bill provides protection for employees who use medical cannabis. It prohibits an employer from discriminating against a user for a written recommendation for medical cannabis or a positive drug test.  The employer can make policies that prohibit an employee from doing certain duties while under the influence of cannabis.Senate – Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m., Judicial ProceedingsN/ASenator SmithN/A
13SB0708N/ACannabis – Legalization and RegulationThis bill replaces the word “marijuana” with “cannabis” in legislative language. It also changes the amount and age limit for civil offenses involving cannabis. It establishes funds for social equity including the Social Equity Start-Up Fund, the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, the Cannabis Regulation Fund, and the Cannabis Education and Training Fund.In the Senate – Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m., Finance, Budget and TaxationN/ASenators Feldman, Ferguson, Guzzone, King, Smith, Waldstreicher, and WashingtonN/A
14SB0884N/AMedical Cannabis – Visiting Qualifying PatientsThis bill prohibits a visiting qualifying medical cannabis patient from being required to have written certification or a medical ID card. This would allow a visiting cannabis patient access to a Cannabis Commission licensed dispensary or agent.In the Senate – Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m., FinanceN/ASenator KlausmeierN/A

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: