- Montana advocates behind a proposed ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for adult use are facing resistance from top state officials over a lawsuit they filed requesting electronic signature gathering options amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- New Approach Montana filed the suit earlier this month , and they had two requests for the state: allow digital petitioning due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders and extend the deadline for signature submissions from June 19 to August 3.
- A coalition of marijuana reform and civil rights groups sent a letter to congressional leaders on Monday, urging them to give cannabis businesses access to the federal coronavirus relief funds that are available to companies in any other industry.
- The Marijuana Justice Coalition (MJC) which consists of 13 organizations, including ACLU, NORML, Drug Policy Alliance and Human Rights Watch said that future COVID-19 stimulus packages should include provisions enabling the cannabis sector to receive loans and lending services through the federal Small Business Administration (SBA).
- Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to Senate leadership last week, asking for language to be inserted into future coronavirus legislation that would give cannabis companies access to SBA programs .
- In a letter to state treasurers that was delivered earlier this month, a coalition of marijuana industry associations urged the officials to pressure their congressional delegations to include SBA access for cannabis firms in future coronavirus legislation .
Read full article: marijuanamoment.net