Local Politics
California Directs $227M Toward Cannabis Enforcement
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded ...
Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Options for Cannabis Tax Bump
DENVER – Colorado legislators have introduced a bill that would ...
New York Bills Advance Low-THC Drinks in Liquor Stores
NEW YORK – A fresh legislative push in New York ...
California Directs $227M Toward Cannabis Enforcement
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to local governments working to address the public health and safety effects of Cannabis legalization. The money is ...
Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Options for Cannabis Tax Bump
DENVER – Colorado legislators have introduced a bill that would put a small increase in Cannabis taxes before voters this November, aiming to generate funds for mental health programs even as the state's Cannabis market ...
New York Bills Advance Low-THC Drinks in Liquor Stores
NEW YORK – A fresh legislative push in New York could soon let customers pick up low-dose Cannabis beverages at their neighborhood liquor store, blending two longstanding retail worlds under tight rules. State Senator Jeremy ...
California Directs $227M Toward Cannabis Enforcement
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to local governments working to address the public health and safety effects of Cannabis legalization. The money is ...
Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Options for Cannabis Tax Bump
DENVER – Colorado legislators have introduced a bill that would put a small increase in Cannabis taxes before voters this November, aiming to generate funds for mental health programs even as the state's Cannabis market ...
New York Bills Advance Low-THC Drinks in Liquor Stores
NEW YORK – A fresh legislative push in New York could soon let customers pick up low-dose Cannabis beverages at their neighborhood liquor store, blending two longstanding retail worlds under tight rules. State Senator Jeremy ...
Virginia Lawmakers Approve Bill to Establish Regulated Cannabis Sales
RICHMOND – The Virginia House General Laws Committee voted 19-2 to approve legislation that would lay the groundwork for legal retail sales of recreational Cannabis, bringing the state closer to filling a longstanding gap in ...
California Directs $227M Toward Cannabis Enforcement
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to local governments working to address the public health and safety effects of Cannabis legalization. The money is ...
Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Options for Cannabis Tax Bump
DENVER – Colorado legislators have introduced a bill that would put a small increase in Cannabis taxes before voters this November, aiming to generate funds for mental health programs even as the state's Cannabis market ...
New York Bills Advance Low-THC Drinks in Liquor Stores
NEW YORK – A fresh legislative push in New York could soon let customers pick up low-dose Cannabis beverages at their neighborhood liquor store, blending two longstanding retail worlds under tight rules. State Senator Jeremy ...
California Directs $227M Toward Cannabis Enforcement
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded $227 million in Proposition 64 grant funding to local governments working to address the public health and safety effects of Cannabis legalization. The money is ...
Colorado Lawmakers Weigh Options for Cannabis Tax Bump
DENVER – Colorado legislators have introduced a bill that would put a small increase in Cannabis taxes before voters this November, aiming to generate funds for mental health programs even as the state's Cannabis market ...
New York Bills Advance Low-THC Drinks in Liquor Stores
NEW YORK – A fresh legislative push in New York could soon let customers pick up low-dose Cannabis beverages at their neighborhood liquor store, blending two longstanding retail worlds under tight rules. State Senator Jeremy ...
Virginia Lawmakers Approve Bill to Establish Regulated Cannabis Sales
RICHMOND – The Virginia House General Laws Committee voted 19-2 to approve legislation that would lay the groundwork for legal retail sales of recreational Cannabis, bringing the state closer to filling a longstanding gap in ...
Hawaii Lawmakers Advance Voter Measure on Rec Cannabis Legalization
HONOLULU – A group of 15 Hawaii state lawmakers introduced companion bills in the House and Senate, seeking to amend the state constitution and send the question of recreational Cannabis legalization to voters in the ...
Michigan Senate Tightens Controls on Intoxicating Hemp Derivatives
LANSING – In a bipartisan push to close regulatory gaps, the Michigan Senate approved a package of bills that would classify most high-potency hemp-derived THC items as Cannabis, folding them into the state's established Cannabis ...
Virginia Panel Outlines Path to Regulated Cannabis Sales in 2026
RICHMOND – Members of Virginia's Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market presented a series of amendments to create a licensed system for adult-use Cannabis sales, targeting a ...
New York State OCM Updates Medical Cannabis Program, Expands Access for Out-of-State Patients
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that extends New York's medical Cannabis program to patients certified in other states, marking the most substantial revision to the initiative since its 2016 launch. ...
Florida Takes Action to Advance Adult-Use Cannabis Ballot Measure, Lawsuit Ends Delay
TALLAHASSEE – Florida election officials cleared a procedural roadblock for a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational Cannabis, submitting the measure to the state attorney general's office just weeks after advocates sued over perceived delays ...
California Governor Approves Fast Track for Cannabis and Psychedelics Studies
LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed Assembly Bill 1103 into law on Friday, October 10, clearing hurdles for researchers studying Cannabis and psychedelics in the state. The measure targets delays in approving projects ...
Ohio Governor Enacts Halt on Sales of Hemp-Derived THC Products
COLUMBUS – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued an executive order on October 8, 2025, directing retailers to pull intoxicating hemp products from shelves by next Tuesday, marking a sharp intervention in the state's unregulated market ...
California Enacts Law Requiring Intoxicating Hemp Sales Through Licensed Cannabis Outlets
LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 8 into law on Thursday, directing intoxicating hemp-derived products into California's tightly controlled Cannabis distribution system and barring their sale elsewhere. The measure addresses gaps in ...
California Reinstates 15% Cannabis Excise Tax Through 2028
LOS ANGELES – A measure signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month took effect on Wednesday, dialing back California's Cannabis excise tax to 15% and holding it steady at that level until at least the ...
Michigan House Approves 24% Tax on Wholesale Cannabis Sales for Road Repairs
LANSING – In a swift move to head off a potential state government shutdown, the Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation imposing a 24% excise tax on wholesale Cannabis transactions, directing the proceeds toward long-overdue ...
California Lawmakers Back Pause on Recent Cannabis Tax Hike
LOS ANGELES – The California Senate approved Assembly Bill 564, a measure that would roll back a recent jump in the state's Cannabis excise tax for five years, sending it back to the Assembly for ...
California’s Cannabis Industry Faces Meltdown as New Tax Hike Begins
LOS ANGELES – California’s legal cannabis industry is sounding the alarm as a significant excise tax increase, which took effect on July 1, 2025, threatens to cripple an already struggling market. The excise tax on ...
The Hemp Surge: A Growing Challenge to Regulated Cannabis
NEW YORK — The legal line between hemp and cannabis in the U.S., drawn by the 2018 Farm Bill, was meant to clarify regulation. Instead, it created a set of inconsistencies that still affect how ...
Navigating Local Cannabis Regulations: A State-by-State Guide
NEW YORK — Cannabis regulation in the United States functions as a multi-layered governance system, where legal authority is distributed across federal, state, and local levels—with local jurisdictions exerting the most immediate control over real-world ...
The Role of Government Relations in Cannabis Industry Success
NEW YORK — In highly regulated industries, success depends not only on how well a business operates, but also on how well it fits within the rules set by government. This is especially true in ...
Government Relations at The Core
NEW YORK — In industries where business depends on regulation—such as cannabis, infrastructure, or fintech—navigating the policy environment is foundational. Laws, budget priorities, administrative procedures, and even decisions by local councils directly affect where companies ...
Politics & Policy with Jeff Guillot: The Architecture of Cannabis Regulatory Frameworks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK — Highly Capitalized Network-HCN proudly announces the launch of a new original podcast, "Politics & Policy with Jeff Guillot," dedicated to politics, legislation, and the evolving cannabis industry landscape in ...
Idaho Senate Votes To Banish Cannabis Medicines
BOISE – Idaho's Republican-dominated Senate have mustered the votes needed to pass a measure effectively banning cannabis in the Gem state with a 24-11 vote. A proposed constitutional amendment that would prevent the legalization of ...
Local Activists Succeed in Decriminalization of Mushrooms In Michigan City
ANN ARBOR, MI — Magic mushrooms and other psychedelic plants and fungi are now effectively decriminalized in Ann Arbor, at least in terms of city police enforcement priority. This week, following up the Council's decision, ...
Will November finally bring cannabis legalization?
2020 has been a long rough year as of late. But, we’re due for some excitement with the upcoming election November 3rd. With changes due under whichever presidential management, it’s a unique time to prepare ...
