The state of Mississippi just made a big move when it comes to the idea of medical marijuana being legalized.
The state’s House and Senate lawmakers have reached an agreement to send a bill that would legalize medicinal cannabis to the governor’s desk this week.
The move comes after Senate action yesterday and now the bill will go to a bicameral conference committee to finalize details of the legislation. Voths in both chambers for final passage are expected today.
Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R) and Rep. Lee Yancey (R) discussed the agreement at a press conference on Tuesday.
It has been over 14 months after voters in Mississippi passed an initiative to legalize medical cannabis. The law however was later overturned by the state Supreme Court. The bill that’s being tweaked again is the result of months of negotiations and last-minute changes to a nearly 450-page bill.
“This has been a long journey, and it’s nice to be in a place where everyone is in agreement,” Yancey said on Tuesday. “It looks like we will finally be able to provide relief to those people with debilitating illnesses who so badly need it. Medical cannabis will now be an option for them as soon as we get the conference report signed and sent to the governor.”
Assuming that conference goes as planned, the legislature will then formally transmit the bill to Gov. Tate Reeves (R), who then has five days, excluding Sundays, either to sign it into law or return it with objections.
Both the Senate and House, however, have passed the legislation with veto-proof majorities. If Reeves does not take any action by the deadline, the bill will become law without his signature.
