US HOUSE PASSES HISTORIC MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION BILL 228 to 164
Police Group Who Helped Pass Measure Comments on Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act
Today, the US House of Representatives passed HR.3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act) by a vote of 228 to 164. The Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), a nonprofit group of police and other criminal justice professionals, endorsed the MORE Act because it would address serious public safety and social equity concerns associated with marijuana enforcement.
“As a police officer, I helped wage a so-called war on marijuana. But no matter how hard we tried, how many losses we were willing to sustain to our own side, how many dollars spent, and how many lives ruined, we never made a dent in either demand or supply for very long. Today I am thrilled to see that after almost fifty years of this catastrophic war, our congressional leaders have finally decided to lay down their arms and try something that works.” ” — Police Major Neill Franklin (Ret.), executive director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership
The MORE Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, federally descheduling and decriminalizing the drug and allowing states to set their own policies. The bill would facilitate the expungement of millions of marijuana convictions and impose a 5% federal tax on marijuana sales that would fund grants allocated for communities most impacted by the War on Drugs. The MORE Act would also prohibit the denial of federal benefits, such as housing, due to marijuana use.
In 2019, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership endorsed HR.3884, which was introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler and received 120 co-sponsors, including Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. The companion bill in the Senate, S.2227, was introduced by Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and co-sponsored by seven senators. The bill is expected to face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate even though 60% of Republican voters support the legislation. A recent Gallup poll found that 68% of Americans support marijuana legalization.
To speak with a police officer, judge, prosecutor, corrections officer, or federal agent about why they support the MORE Act, contact LEAP at Media@LawEnforcementAction.org.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) is a nonprofit group of police, judges, and other criminal justice professionals who advance evidence-based public safety policies and programs. LEAP’s 270 representatives speak on behalf of more than 5,000 law enforcement personnel who support ending the War on Drugs, alternatives to incarceration, and solutions to America’s police-community relations crisis.
