MN Senate Passes Recreational Marijuana Bill By 1 Vote

ST. PAUL, MN — The Minnesota Senate on Friday took up and passed the House bill that will legalize recreational cannabis for residents 21 and older.

After adding several amendments, the Democratically-controlled Senate approved the measure by one vote, 34 to 33, with lawmakers split along party lines.

However, because the two versions of the bill don't yet fully line up, a conference committee will need to hammer out the differences.

The bill will then head to Gov. Tim Walz's desk, who has promised to sign it. Minnesota would then become the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana.

The bill will go into effect on Aug. 1 of this year.

The Senate bill will expunge misdemeanor cannabis cases and fund education, treatment, and law enforcement programs.

The Senate bill states that people aged 21 or older are allowed to:

• Use and possess cannabis paraphernalia
• Possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis in public
• Possess up to 5 pounds of cannabis in a person’s home
• Possess up to 8 grams or less of adult-use cannabis concentrate
• Possess edibles with up to 800 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol
• Use cannabis products in private areas
• Grow up to eight cannabis plants, but only up to four that are flowering

The bill also sets into motion the automatic expungement of nonfelony cannabis offenses in Minnesota.

Where you can't smoke, sell, or possess cannabis:

• No smoking cannabis in places where smoking is prohibited under the Clean Indoor Air Act
• Using cannabis products while driving, operating, or being in physical control of a motor vehicle is a misdemeanor offense
• Local governments in Minnesota can regulate use of cannabis in public places, but penalties are limited to a petty misdemeanor only
• Selling cannabis products without a state license is a felony offense
  • Increased penalties for repeat offenders, people who sell to kids, or sell in a school zone, park, treatment facility, public housing zone, etc.
• Prohibits cannabis retailers from operating between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, and between 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.