The year 2022 began with several United States cannabis reform proposals pre-filed in 2021 for the upcoming year's legislative session. Among the remaining prohibitionist states, legalization of adult use in Delaware and Oklahoma was considered most likely, and Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island somewhat less likely; medical cannabis in Mississippi was called likely at the beginning of 2022. At the federal level, "a lack of consensus on the legislative strategy" shown in competing bills with both comprehensive and incremental approaches was said by a lobbyist at the beginning of the year to be "stunting the legalization effort". The likely approaches to legalization were reflected by the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE), the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) and the States Reform Act (SRA), and the more modest less-than-legalization SAFE Banking Act, considered "the least controversial of all the cannabis-reform bills" with "substantial bipartisan appeal".
Legislation and initiatives introduced in 2021 for 2022 sessions State State Title Type Date introduced Short description DetailPennsylvaniaHB 204BillDecriminalizationFiled January 21, 2021PA HB204 at Legiscan, accessed March 27, 2022IndianaHB1070BillDecriminalizationPre-filed for 2022 sessionHB1049BillRegulationPre-filed for 2022 session by representatives Sue Errington and Chris Campbell. Establishes Cannabis Compliance Commission and Cannabis Compliance Advisory Committee.MarylandHB 1Referendum (bill prefiled)LegalizationOn July 16, 2021, the speaker of the state House of Delegates, Adrienne A. Jones, created a committee to draft a referendum on legalization to place before voters in 2022. Around December 25, the chairman of the state House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup, Luke Clippinger, pre-filed House Bill 1 for the 2022 session, to initiate the citizen referendum in 2022 that would create a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis. The referendum bill and accompanying implementation bill, House Bill 837 received public testimony and were discussed by the House Judiciary Committee on February 14, 2022. House Bill 1 was passed by the house 96–34 on February 25.Constitutional Amendment - Cannabis - Adult Use and Possession (HB0001) history, Maryland legislature official website, accessed February 25, 2022 Senate Finance Committee hearings on the bills began on March 23. The constitutional referendum and the legalization bill were both passed by the Maryland Senate on April 1.Missouri 2022 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 3 (Missouri legalization initiative)InitiativeLegalizationPassed by voters on November 8, 2022North DakotaInitiativeLegalizationOn January 22, 2021, the North Dakota Secretary of State approved signature gathering on an initiated constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis, the North Dakota Legalize Marijuana and Allow Home Growth Initiative, which could appear on the November 2022 ballot if 15,600 valid signatures are returned.North CarolinaSB 711 NC Compassionate Care ActBill MedicalFiled April 7, 2021. Would allow cannabis prescriptions for cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, PTSD, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, multiple sclerosis, wasting syndrome, severe nausea and "other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class". Passed Senate committee on June 30, 2021. Approved by senate on June 2, 2022. Wyoming Wyoming Cannabis AmendmentsInitiativeDecriminalization Wyoming Patient Cannabis Act of 2022InitiativeMedicalNew HampshireHB 1598BillLegalizationIntroduced December 21 by Rep. Daryl Abbas,HB 1598 bill information, legiscan, accessed March 21, 2022 would create ten or more retail sales locations operated by the state as a monopoly. Passed by state house of representatives on March 31, 2022. Defeated in senate on April 28.
Federal Title Type Date introduced Short description DetailMarijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE)BillFederal legalization with regulation, taxationPassed by House of Representatives on April 1H.R.5657 Medical Marijuana Research ActBillMedical researchIntroduced October 22, 2021 by Rep. Earl Blumenauer; passed by House on a 343–75 vote on April 4, 2022
Legislation and initiatives introduced in 2022 State, territory, or district State, territory, or district Title Type Date introduced Short description DetailSouth DakotaSB 3BillLegalizationLegalizes purchase and possession by adults. Bill introduced January 2 by Michael Rohl (R).Senate Bill 3 bill history, South Dakota legislature official website, accessed February 17, 2022 Cleared Senate Commerce and Energy Committee on February 17 for senate floor vote. Passed by South Dakota Senate on February 23. After being squashed in the House State Affairs Committee, the bill was pulled back on March 1 through a procedure called "smokeout" for a House floor vote. The bill "met its final end" on March 4 when the House voted not to calendar it.South Dakota Initiated Measure 27 Marijuana Legalization InitiativeInitiativeLegalizationInitiative qualified in May, 2022 for the November 8, 2022 ballot Defeated by voters in November.OklahomaOklahoma State Question 820InitiativeLegalization Slated for March 2023 special electionOklahoma State Question 813InitiativeLegalizationKentuckyHouse Bill 136BillMedicalIntroduced on January 4.HB136, Kentucky legislature, accessed January 7, 2022 Passed House Judiciary Committee 15–1 on March 10, and was passed by House 59–34 on March 17.House Bill 225Constitutional amendmentLegalizationIntroduced January 5 by representatives Nima Kulkarni and Attica Scott; if passed by legislature, will be a ballot issue in November 2022.HB225, Kentucky legislature, accessed January 21, 2022House Bill 224BillDecriminalizationIntroduced January 5 by Representative Nima KulkarniHB224, Kentucky legislature, accessed January 21, 2022SB 186 and HB 521 L.E.T.T.'s GrowBillsLegalizationIntroduced February 17 by representative Rachel Roberts and senators Morgan McGarvey and David Yates. Name is acronym from elements of the bill: legalization, expungement, treatment and taxation.IowaIowa Constitution article XI amendment Constitutional amendmentLegalizationPut forward by state senators Joe Bolkcom, Janet Petersen, and Sarah Trone on January 5New HampshireHB1392BillDecriminalizationSponsors Max Abramson (R), Aidan Ankarberg (R), and Joshua Adjutant (D). Replaces criminal penalty for possession of cannabis and some other substances with a fine of $20 per gramHB629/SB 299BillLegalizationLegalizes possession and home grow only. Passed in state house of representatives on January 6 with a veto-proof majority. Cleared by committee, scheduled for Senate floor vote April 21.HB629 bill history, New Hampshire General Court [legislature] official website, accessed April 16, 2022 Defeated 15–9 in senate on April 28. Attached as House amendment to SB 29 on May 4.KansasKansas adult-use and medical cannabis constitutional amendmentsConstitutional amendment LegalizationAnnounced by House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer on January 6.SB 12BillMedicalSB 12 repurposed April 26 as vehicle for committee reconciling differences between 2021's SB 92 and corresponding bill that passed the House Mississippi SB2095Mississippi Medical Cannabis ActLawMedicalPassed by the legislature on January 26, signed into law by governor February 2.DelawareHB305BillLegalizationFiled January 12; passed out of Health & Human Development Committee on January 26. Failed to achieve three fifths majority in House vote, and was defeated.HB371BillLegalizationSeparate legalization and regulation bills introduced around April 5, after HB305 failed. The legalization bill had enough sponsors for passage when introduced. Passed by House on May 5 and the senate on May 12, then vetoed by Governor John Carney. Although it was said to be "likely" to have support in the legislature to defeat the veto, a June 7 vote to override failed to achieve a majority in the house.HB372BillRegulationSeparate legalization and regulation bills introduced around April 5MissouriHB2469BillDecriminalizationWould reclassify possession of some drugs including cannabis as an infractionLegal Missouri, Fair Access Missouri, and Cannabis Patient Network initiativesInitiativesLegalizationAll come with expungementCannabis Freedom ActBillLegalizationIntroduced February 15 by Representative Ron Hicks (R)HawaiiSB2718 SD1BillMedicalChanges existing medical cannabis program so that persons age 65 or over automatically qualify for state medical cannabis card. Introduced January 21. Cleared by health committee on February 17.SB2718 SD1 bill history, Hawaii legislature, accessed February 17, 2022ArkansasAdult Use of Cannabis AmendmentInitiativeLegalizationConstitutional amendment via ballot question filed January 24. By early July, more than twice the required number of voter signatures had been gathered for November ballot access. On July 29, the secretary of state approved the initiative for the November 2022 ballot. Around August 10, the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered the initiative to appear on the ballot over the objections of the elections board. The initiative failed with a 56% "no" vote.Arkansas Issue 4, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2022) , Ballotpedia, accessed December 17, 2022IndianaSB324BillLegalizationAuthored by Sen. Eddie Melton (D)SB414BillLegalizationAuthored by Sen. David Niezgodski (D) and Sen. Eddie Melton (D)HB1311BillLegalization and regulationBipartisan bill authored by Rep. Cindy Ziemke (R); co-authored by Rep. Steve Bartels (R), Rep. Justin Moed (D), Rep. Vanessa Summers (D)HB1212BillLegalizationMedical and adult use legalization in the state contingent on federal legislation. Authored by Rep. Jake Teshka (R); co-authored by Rep. Steve Bartels (R), Rep. Ryan Hatfield (D), Rep. Zach Payne (R)HB1232BillDecriminalization (partial)Authored by Rep. Zach Payne (R); co-authored by Rep. Jake Teshka (R), Rep. Jim Lucas (R), Rep. Sean Eberhart (R)HB1168BillMedicalAuthored by Rep. Jim Lucas (R); co-authored by Rep. Zach Payne (R), Rep. Heath VanNatter (R), Rep. Sean Eberhart (R)WisconsinLRB-0250/1BillMedicalBicameral; primary sponsors Rep. Pat Snyder (R) and Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R), creates Medical Marijuana Regulatory CommissionTennesseeHB1968 Free All Cannabis for Tennesseans ActBillLegalizationHB1968, Tennessee General Assembly, accessed January 30, 2022 SB1973/HB1634 Bills Advisory vote Would add an advisory vote to November ballot with three questions asking voters whether the legislature should pass bills allowing medical cannabis, to decriminalize the substance, and to legalize and regulate it. Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Griffey (R) and Sen. Sara Kyle (D)District of ColumbiaB 629