Cannabtimes

<![CDATA[Legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis lives to fight another day in one of the most conservative states in the country.  The South Dakota Senate voted 18-17 on Feb. 23 to pass Senate Bill 3, which aims to legalize up to 1 ounce of cannabis for those 21 and older. An earlier version of the bill called for double that possession limit. The legislation now heads to the House, where it has six Republican and two Democrat sponsors, but the lower chamber has been less receptive to adult-use reform. Earlier this week, the House rejected a separate measure that aimed to set up a tax structure and regulatory framework for a possible program. In addition, House Republicans have pushed for tighter restrictions on medical cannabis. The legislative actions come as a result of Amendment A, a voter-approved ballot initiative to legalize adult use from November 2020, which passed with 54.2% majority, being struck down by a circuit court judge on the basis of the state's single-subject rule. The South Dakota Supreme Court upheld that decision in November 2021. RELATED: Seven Months Later, South Dakota Supreme Court Says 'No' to Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization In addition to legalizing adult-use sales and possession, S.B. 3 aims to ban home cultivation, despite that proposal being approved by voters via Amendment A. When S.B. 3 was going through the committee process earlier this month, Republican Sen. Michael Rohl, the bill's primary sponsor, told Senate Commerce and Energy Committee members that the legislation steers toward enacting one of the more restrictive programs in the country, specifically mentioning the ban on home grows. Rohl also told committee members that upholding the will of voters "is our complete responsibility." He added, "The voters of South Dakota clearly expressed their will." All the meanwhile, the coalition responsible for putting Amendment…

Excerpt only ...
READ MORE BELOW
Source : South Dakota Senate Clears Adult-Use Bill by Slimmest Margin

reposted by Cannabis News World