The marijuana legalization bill has made its way through the fifth House committee on Monday. Therefore, the full-floor vote is expected to take place next month in May.

House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D), Speaker Melissa Hortman (D), along with other lawmakers filed the measure in February. It will allow adults over the age of 21 to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. They can also cultivate up to eight plants, of which four can be mature.

On Monday, the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee amended the marijuana legalization bill and approved it 11-7.

“We have an opportunity to create the kind of new industry that can be a model for not only how to be inclusive and how to repair past wrongs, but also to do so in a way that upholds very high environmental standards,” Winkler said.

Amendments to the Bill

House members have adopted several changes to the proposal. Now it requires that members of a cannabis advisory council can not serve as lobbyists while on the panel. They also have to wait two years after they end their service with the panel.

Other changes specify that marijuana products cannot be flavored to taste or smell like anything except the plant itself. Regulators will also be able to adopt rules to “limit or prohibit ingredients in or additives to cannabis or cannabis products”.

More changes stipulate rules for marijuana delivery services. Like requiring that the customers’ age is verified as over 21 years old.

Finally, the revised legislation also creates a substance use disorder treatment and prevention grant funded by cannabis tax revenue.

Next, the bill will head to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. They are scheduled to take up the measure on Wednesday.

Winkler said that he expects the legislation to pass the remaining panels by the end of April. This will allow for a floor vote in May. 

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