NEW YORK: A bill to legalize medical marijuana in New York state cleared what may have been its final obstacle Thursday.
Sen. Diane Savino (D) said at a press conference in Albany Thursday that the Compassionate Care Act — which would legalize medicinal use of the drug in New York — has been moved from the Senate Finance Committee to the Rules Committee. Earlier this week, Finance Committee Chairman Sen. John DeFrancisco (R) seemingly threatened to prevent the bill from coming to a vote.
Moving legislation to the Rules Committee happens routinely in Albany near the end of a legislative session in order to bring a bill to a full vote, and advocates say they have more than enough “yes” votes for the CCA to pass. The bill has already passed the New York State Assembly.
The legislation would make New York the 23rd state in the country to legalize the drug for medical use.
[…] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: At a joint committee hearing of the D.C. Council today, several public witnesses testified in favor of two new bills they believe would greatly improve the city’s medical marijuana laws. […]