Hartman Cosco Government Relations

Federal marijuana reform momentum expected to continue despite absence from party conventions

Brian Skinner August 31, 2020 marijuana

Marijuana Business Daily – August 31, 2020 The Democratic and Republican national conventions barely touched on federal marijuana reform. The Republicans didn’t even write a new platform. And the Democratic platform fell short of supporting the efforts congressional Democrats have made in the past year toward federal marijuana legalization and cannabis banking reform. More . …Read More

US House to take up cannabis descheduling bill week of Sept. 21

Brian Skinner marijuana

Marijuana Business Daily – August 31, 2020 The MORE Act, a bill that would deschedule marijuana and thereby legalize it federally – with massive business implications – is scheduled to be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives the week of Sept. 21, according to an email sent by House Majority Leader Steny …Read More

The State of State (and Local) Tax Policy

Brian Skinner marijuana, Tax Policy

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Continuing today’s theme of marijuana legalization, I thought it might be helpful to take a look at the Tax Policy Center‘s briefing on marijuana taxation policy. Although prohibited under federal law, marijuana sales are legal and taxed in nine states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Marijuana is legal in …Read More

The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, marijuana

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Recent news that the U.S. House of Representatives will likely vote on a bill to decriminalize marijuana and leave legalization up to the states caused me to think it might be time to share an article on the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana. As I discussed last week, despite the potential for tax …Read More

Marijuana decriminalization vote expected in House

Brian Skinner marijuana

Fox News — By Paul Best — August 31, 2020 The House will likely vote on a historic marijuana decriminalization bill next month, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said Friday. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE, would decriminalize marijuana by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. States would then be free …Read More

The High Cost of Evictions to Families and the Economy

Brian Skinner August 29, 2020 Evictions, Housing

By Brian Skinner, Esq. The United States may be facing the most severe housing crisis in its history. Many who suffered from unstable housing before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, are now in an even worse situation. In Sunday’s New York Times, author of “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City”, Matthew …Read More

Likely Delays in Counting Absentee Ballots Could Result in Chaos

Brian Skinner August 28, 2020 Absentee Ballots, Elections, West Virginia

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is very likely that West Virginia will see a marked increase in the use of absentee voting compared to prior elections. As of August 25, already more than 22,300 of West Virginia’s registered voters have requested an absentee ballot to participate in the …Read More

Study Shows Few Clinicians Prescribe Buprenorphine to Patients With Opioid Use Disorder

Brian Skinner August 27, 2020 Health Care, Substance Use Prevention and Treatment

Pew – By Alexandra Duncan & Ian Reynolds – August 24, 2020 Research published Aug. 24 in JAMA Network Open helps to explain the vast treatment gap for people with opioid use disorder (OUD), attributing it in part to the small number of clinicians prescribing buprenorphine, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication that has been …Read More

State Employment Recovered Unevenly from Last Recession

Brian Skinner State Fiscal & Economic Policy

Pew – Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis – August 20, 2020 Before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the economy, much of the country had enjoyed years of slow but steady job growth over the longest recovery on record. The U.S. employment rate for prime-working-age adults finally recovered in 2019 from losses in the Great Recession. But …Read More

Analysis: Are Ohio Democrats Right About Ballot Drop Boxes

Brian Skinner Elections, Mail-in Ballots

By Brian Skinner, Esq. This week Ohio Democrats sued Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, over his refusal to provide more ballot drop boxes for absentee voters. LaRose recently decided that each of Ohio’s 88 counties will get only one drop box to collect absentee ballots in the 2020 general election. LaRose asserts that …Read More