A week after the US midterm elections, cannabis policy has leapt from the ballot box to statehouses and Capitol Hill. Lawmakers and industry leaders are now pushing aggressive reforms across the country.
Sixteen governors urge Congress to pass the SAFE Banking Act
Sixteen Democratic governors have demanded that Congress pass the SAFE Banking Act during the current lame‑duck session, according to Cannabis Business Times. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, chair of the National Governors Association, led the letter to congressional leaders on November 9. The bill would give banks and credit unions a safe harbor to serve state‑licensed cannabis businesses that remain cash‑only, and it enjoys signatures from JB Pritzker, Kathy Hochul and Gretchen Whitmer.
Texas Democrats prefile legalisation bills for 2027
Texas Democrats filed three bills on November 9, the first day of prefiling for the 90th Legislature, to legalize adult‑use cannabis, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD reports. House Bills 362 and 369 by Representatives John Bucy III and Joe Moody would allow adults 21 and older to possess two ounces and grow 12 plants, while imposing a 20% tax on retail sales and a 15% levy on grow‑to‑retail transfers. Senator Carol Alvarado added Senate Bill 237, and the measures face a January 12 session despite a Republican‑controlled Senate.
Wisconsin’s new majority signals an adult‑use bill
Wisconsin’s incoming leadership will pursue adult‑use legalization next session, NORML reports. Democrats captured both chambers in the midterms, and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, poised to become speaker, says the party will legalize within one to two years. Governor‑elect David Crowley also backs the move, and a Marquette Law School poll shows 67% support for legalization, underscoring the urgency after nearly 11,500 possession arrests last year.
Illinois pauses hemp enforcement for plaintiffs before Thursday’s ban
Illinois will halt enforcement of its new intoxicating hemp restrictions against plaintiffs suing to block them, the Chicago Tribune reports. From Thursday, the state bans sales of intoxicating hemp outside cannabis dispensaries, but state defendants, including Attorney General Kwame Raoul, will not enforce the law against the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association and other plaintiffs until the case returns on November 19. Craig Katz, association president, says the plaintiffs represent more than 250 businesses employing over 5,000 people.
Curaleaf clears competition reviews in the Aurora contest
Curaleaf has cleared all competition reviews for its proposed acquisition of Aurora Cannabis, according to a company statement published by Cannabis Business Times. Germany’s Federal Cartel Office confirmed on November 3 that the deal may proceed, a day after Canada’s Competition Bureau issued a no‑action letter. The improved offer, announced on October 6, expires on December 4, and the company says the path is now clear for Aurora shareholders, unlike Organigram’s rival agreement.
Meanwhile, the Illinois hemp case returns to court on November 19, Curaleaf’s offer for Aurora remains valid until December 4, and the lame‑duck session will decide whether the governors’ SAFE Banking Act letter gains traction. The Texas bills and Wisconsin pledges will face their real test in the new year.
Rob Dale
Rob Dale runs technical and SEO strategy at Business of Cannabis and holds a Master’s in Clinical Exercise Physiology. He blends search expertise with clinical insight to translate data into clear, evidence‑based industry insights.
