MJBiz - September/October 2024 - 35

Mace was the main author of the
States Reform Act of 2023 and 2021,
two bills with bipartisan support
to remove marijuana from the
federal list of Schedule 1 drugs and
regulate it similarly to alcohol. She
also voted in favor of the Medical
Marijuana Research Act and the
SAFE Banking Act, and in 2023, she
introduced bipartisan legislation
to allow candidates for federal
employment the ability to obtain
security clearances regardless of
cannabis use.
That said, marijuana advocates
believe legalization would be more
likely if Democrats retain control
of the Senate because the Senate
majority leader sets the political
agenda, or what issues get a floor
vote.
" Democratic leadership is
much more willing to bring
these things to the floor than
Republican leadership is. But that
doesn't mean it's out of the realm
of possibility. It just means that
we're going to have to work a lot
harder to get folks that are in high
positions in the House GOP to
make the space for it, " Morgan Fox,
political director for the National
Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws (NORML), told
MJBizMagazine.
" If Democrats maintain control,
we have Senate leadership on the
Democratic side that is making this
issue a priority to a certain point-
at the very least vocally. In terms
of speed of introducing bills and
calling hearings ... that has been
a little bit slow, but I think that's
largely because of politics outside of
cannabis, " Fox said.
As for the lower chamber
of Congress, Fox said House
Majority Leader Mike Johnson is
a social conservative who opposes
marijuana legalization but could be
" reasonable " about at least letting
lawmakers vote on cannabis issues.
" If there were enough highranking
Republicans that wanted
to push bills through and get them
to the floor as stand-alones, it
would be possible that he would
acquiesce, " Fox said.
That said, " It would be much
more likely when Democrats are
in control, " he added. " We saw the
SAFE Banking Act get passed under
Democratic leadership, multiple
times. We saw the MORE Act get
passed twice under Democratic
leadership, by the full House twice. "
Below are snapshots of some,
but by no means all, of the
most important and interesting
upcoming congressional races
that could affect marijuana
reform in 2025 and beyond.
SENATE
Michigan
Elissa Slotkin (D)
Mike Rogers (R)
Cook Political Report
Ratings Summary
Toss-up, open seat
The state's voters will choose a candidate to fill the seat
vacated by Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Mike Rogers,
who won the Aug. 6 primary race with 63% of the vote in
a four-person field, is a former FBI agent who went on
to serve in the Michigan state Senate, followed by four
terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, retiring from
office in 2014. Despite years of public service, there is no
record of his position on marijuana.
Elissa Slotkin, who won her primary with 76% of the
vote, has won the affections of the cannabis industry for
supporting marijuana reform during her tenure as a
member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
On her campaign website, Slotkin says, " Opening up marijuana for recreational use is a big decision for our state,
and voters should have their voice heard. I have seen firsthand how medical marijuana can help people who are
dealing with long-term chronic conditions. "
She has co-sponsored SAFE Banking legislation and voted in favor of the MORE Act.
Elissa Slotkin
Mike Rogers
mjbizdaily.com | September-October 2024 35
NORML
Grade
A
No rating
Cannabis Voter Project
Supports state and federal
legalization
No rating

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MJBiz - September/October 2024

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