States with proposed bills to legalize cannabis for adults: 16

• Georgia — HB 388 would remove penalties for possession of less than an ounce of cannabis. It carried over from 2023.
• Hawaii — HB 2600 and SB 3335 are AG-drafted bills that would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older. SB 3335 was approved by the Senate Judiciary and Health and Human Services committees on February 13. It is now pending in the Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means committees.
• Indiana — SB 0107 and SB 0099 would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older.
• Iowa — SF 73 and HF 442 would have legalized and regulated cannabis for adults. SJR 6 proposed a constitutional amendment, which would be referred to voters if approved by the legislature, to legalize cannabis for adults. All three were introduced in 2023 and carried over to 2024. They did not advance out of a committee before a deadline.
• Kansas — HB 2367 would legalize and regulate cannabis sales for adults. It carried over from 2023.
• Kentucky — HB72 and SB73 would allow the growing and possession of small amounts of cannabis (and include expungement provisions). There is no language included for the commercial sale of cannabis.
• Louisiana — HB54 would legalize and regulate cannabis sales for adults.
• Mississippi — HB615 would legalize and regulate cannabis sales for adults.
• Nebraska — LB 22 would legalize possession and use of marijuana. LB 634 would  legalize and regulate cannabis. Both bills were introduced in 2023 and carried over to 2024.
• New Hampshire — HB 1633 would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older. On February 14, the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee approved it, 17-3. It is now pending on the House floor.
• North Carolina — H626 and S346 would regulate and legalize sales for adults 21 and older.
• Pennsylvania — SB 846,  HB 1080, and HB 1082 would legalize and regulate sales for adults 21 and older.
• South Carolina — S. 211 would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults. It carried over from 2023.
• Tennessee — HB0085 and SB0168 would set up the regulatory structure for cannabis for adults. They did not advance before adjournment. Both bills carried over from 2023.
• Wisconsin — AB 506 and SB 486 would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults and create medical cannabis programs.
• West Virginia — SB 386 and HB 4873 would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults. SJR8 would create a constitutional amendment, putting the question of legalizing cannabis for adults to voters.

States with decriminalization bills: 6

• Georgia — SB42 would remove criminal penalties for possession of under an ounce of cannabis and levy a civil fine of no more than $200. The legislation also streamlines the expungement process and lowers penalties for possession of over an ounce.
• Florida — S0094 would remove criminal penalties for the first, second, and third     offense for possession of 20 grams or less, and replace them with a civil fine.
• South Carolina — H 3561 would reduce the penalty for up to an ounce of cannabis or 10 grams of hashish to a civil citation and make other drug policy reforms. It was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. H 3803 would reduce the penalty for possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, or up to 10 grams of hashish, to a fine-only offense, with a first offense carrying between $100-200.
• Tennessee — HB 309 would reduce the penalty for simple possession of cannabis to a civil fine of $25 or community service. HB 309 was voluntarily withdrawn for consideration on February 28, 2023 but may be brought back this year.
• Wisconsin — AB 861 reduces the penalty for up to 14 grams (just under 1/2 oz), to a “forfeiture” of up to $100. Reduces the maximum jail time for first-offense possession of larger amounts to up to 90 days. AB 861 also provides that for possession of up to 14 grams, "a law enforcement officer may exercise discretion regarding what, if any, standard procedures to complete, including determining whether or not to take the person to jail, complete fingerprinting, or have a formal police photograph taken."
• Wyoming — HB 204 would make possession of up to three ounces of cannabis a civil offense punishable by up to a $100 fine. Under current law, possession of up to three ounces or less of cannabis is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment and up to a $1,000 fine. The bill failed to meet the required ⅔ majority for introduction, so it is dead for the 2024 budget session.

Thirty-one states and Washington, D.C. have decriminalized or legalized cannabis possession. Check out MPP’s report on the 19 states that have not even stopped jailing cannabis consumers. 

States with bills to create comprehensive medical cannabis programs: 7

• Georgia — HB 337 would establish a comprehensive medical program. The bill carried over from 2023.
• Indiana — SB 0126 and HB 1146 would establish comprehensive medical cannabis programs.
• Kansas — SB135 would establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program.
• Nebraska —LB 588 would establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program. It carried over from 2023.
• North Carolina — S3 would establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program. The Senate passed it on second reading on February 28, 2023, in a 36-10 vote. On March 1, the Senate passed the bill on third reading, sending it to the House. S 3 carried over from 2023.
• South Carolina — H3226 and H3486 would establish comprehensive medical cannabis programs. Both have been referred to the House “3M” committee (Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs). S 423 would also establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program. On February 21, 2023, it was “polled out” of the Committee on Medical Affairs. On February 14, 2024, it passed the full Senate in a 24-19 vote.  .All three bills carried over from 2023.
• Tennessee —  HB 172, HB 1441, and SB 1461 would establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program. These bills carried over from 2023.

Thirty-eight states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have effective medical cannabis laws. 

If you live in a state that still prohibits cannabis and no lawmakers have taken the lead to change that, send your state legislators a note to ask them to stand up for humane and sensible cannabis policies. Take a few moments to email them in support of medical cannabis, decriminalization, or legalizing and regulating cannabis.

If you live in a state that has already legalized and regulated cannabis for adults, check out the state’s page to find out what bills are pending to improve (or undermine) the law.