The action on cannabis legalization bills has been heating up in Concord in the last few weeks. Last week, for the first time in New Hampshire history, a Senate committee voted in favor of a cannabis legalization bill! The Senate Judiciary Committee approved HB 629, the bill that would simply legalize possession and limited home cultivation for adults, in a 3-2 vote on Thursday, April 14. The full Senate will vote on the bill Thursday, April 21.
Prime ATC strongly supports HB 629, and we are grateful to the three senators on the Judiciary Committee who voted in favor: Senator Harold French, Senator Jay Kahn, and Senator Becky Whitley. If you’d like to read more about this history-making vote, here’s a news article. If you’d like to contact your state senator, you can find their contact info here.
But before the Senate votes on HB 629 on Thursday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing Wednesday morning on the bill that would create a state monopoly for adult-use cannabis sales (HB 1598). Yes, you are reading that correctly – the state monopoly cannabis bill is scheduled for a hearing on 4/20.
Prime ATC does not support this bill, in part because we believe it presents a serious threat to the Therapeutic Cannabis Program. You can read more about HB 1598 in this article. A detailed summary of the bill is available here.
If you would like to attend the hearing on HB 1598, it will take place in Room 100 of the State House beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20. Members of the public are welcome to testify if they wish. You can also sign in remotely if you’d like to indicate your position to the committee or submit your thoughts in writing.
Thanks for reading – we hope you find this information helpful!
