On Tuesday, April 5th, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) reaffirmed that he and colleagues are in the process of reaching out to Republican senators to “see what they want” included in a bill to federally legalize marijuana, which he is planning to introduce later this month. The new comments come less than a week after the House successfully passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3617) by a vote of 220-204. Schumer has previously stated his intent to introduce the Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (CAOA) sometime in April. Additionally, a separate bill to tax and regulate marijuana remains a consideration for Republicans. Representative Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) — lead sponsor of the States Reform Act — said in a recent interview that she has received assurances from Democratic leaders that the States Reform Act will receive a hearing following the MORE Act floor vote.
