{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr1824-115/featured_responsibly-addressing-the-marijuana-policy-gap-act-of-2017-1525312677.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr1824-115/featured_large_responsibly-addressing-the-marijuana-policy-gap-act-of-2017-1525312677.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr1824-115.png"},"introduced_on":"2017-03-30","title_override":"Reforming Federal Laws to Protect Marijuana Businesses & Consumers","summary_override":"

This bill would aim to reduce the gap between federal and state marijuana laws by removing federal criminal penalties and civil asset forfeiture for individuals and businesses complying with state law. It would also aim to reduce barriers for state-legal marijuana businesses, improve protections for marijuana consumers in states and tribal areas where it’s legal; and ensure veterans can access state-legal medical marijuana.

Marijuana Consumer Protections

A process would be established to expunge criminal records related to marijuana convictions;
Students convicted of a misdemeanor offense for marijuana possession would be eligible for federal student loans;
Real property (ie land or buildings) would be exempt from civil asset forfeiture for marijuana activities in compliance with state or tribal;
Non-citizens wouldn’t be deported or classified as inadmissible to the U.S. for marijuana activities in compliance with state or tribal law;
The prohibition on drug-related criminal activity in federally assisted housing wouldn’t include marijuana activities in compliance with state or tribal law;

Marijuana Business Reforms

Businesses that sell marijuana in compliance with state or tribal law would be allowed to claim federal tax credits and deductions;
Restrictions on print and broadcast advertising for state authorized marijuana-related activities would be eliminated;
Protections would be created for depository institutions (ie banks) that provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses;
Marijuana-related businesses would be entitled to federal bankruptcy protections.

Other Marijuana Reforms

A new, separate registration process would be established for facilitating medical marijuana research;
Healthcare providers employed by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs would be authorized to recommend that patients participate in state marijuana programs;
Medical providers involved in an Indian health program would be authorized to make medical recommendations regarding marijuana.

","official_title":"To amend the Controlled Substances Act to reduce the gap between Federal and State marijuana policy, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Responsibly Addressing the Marijuana Policy Gap Act of 2017","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Responsibly Addressing the Marijuana Policy Gap Act of 2017\n\nThis bill amends various provisions of law and sets forth new provisions:\n\n to eliminate regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act for marijuana-related activities authorized by state or tribal law (i.e., state-authorized); to allow businesses that sell marijuana in compliance with state or tribal law to claim certain federal tax credits and deductions; to eliminate restrictions on print and broadcast advertising of state-authorized marijuana-related activities; to create protections for depository institutions that provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses; to specify that a marijuana-related business is entitled to federal bankruptcy protections; to establish a process to expunge criminal records related to certain marijuana-related convictions; to reestablish federal student aid eligibility for certain students convicted of a misdemeanor offens...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Marijuana businesses and consumers; state governments; and the federal government.","argument_for":"Federal laws should be changed to allow individuals and businesses to produce and use marijuana in compliance with state law without fear of the feds prosecuting them, this bill would enact reforms to protect businesses and consumers.","argument_against":"The federal government shouldn’t do anything to make it easier for individuals and businesses to produce or use marijuana in compliance with state law. 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Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Federal Agencies Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/black_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/grey_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/white_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"marijuana-legalization","name":"Marijuana Legalization","slug":"marijuana-legalization","description":"Federal legislation that covers the marijuana - legalization, penatlies, regulation and taxation. 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Jill

Reforming Federal Laws to Protect Marijuana Businesses & Consumers