On February 5th, 2018, the Criminal Justice Reform Study Group sponsored their first bill. This legislation would reduce possession of 3.5 grams of marijuana or below from a felony to a misdemeanor.

While the bill has yet to be assigned to a committee, it has already received positive feedback and support from both major parties.

Rep. Paul Mosley (R- District 5) is the main sponsor, but Rep. David Stringer (R- District 1) and Rep. Kirsten Engel (D- District 10) are among other major proponents of this bill. They have obtained 36 co-sponsors, including 18 Democrats and 18 Republicans, to support it.

Arizona has some of the strictest drug laws in the country, specifically for marijuana. It is also the last state in the country to bring the possession of any amount of marijuana down from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Read more

Top image: © Tomasz Zajda | Adobe Stock

The push to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use got a boost Friday when a deadline for opposition groups to challenge petition signatures passed and no one stepped up.

Now it will be up to the Secretary of State's election office to review a 500-signature sample of the 362,102 signatures that were turned in by the Committee to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in November, to determine whether there are enough valid signatures from registered voters to qualify for the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Once that review is complete, the state Board of Canvassers will rule on whether voters will see marijuana legalization on the ballot.

"It’s great news, it shows the opposition must feel that we have a well-worded proposal, but that doesn’t mean we’re taking anything for granted," said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the pro-legalization group.

Read more

Top image courtesy of Adobe Stock

A northern Wisconsin tribe has filed a federal lawsuit against Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel.

The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin argue the state doesn’t have authority over hemp processing on its reservation and is asking the federal court to rule on whether the tribe has civil authority to grow hemp to produce CBD oil as is planned.

READ MORE: Wisconsin Tribe to Grow Hemp to Treat Health Problems

States like Wisconsin have authority over criminal matters on reservations under the federal Public 280 law. However, the tribal attorney argues the state’s regulation of hemp production and CBD oil make those civil matters that would fall under the tribe’s authority.

Jeff Cormell, general counsel for the St. Croix tribe, said they filed a lawsuit against Schimel because the state’s top law enforcement official objected to the tribe’s plans.

Read more