Lots to report on this week, so let’s get right to it.

If you have not yet gotten active in your state, now is most definitely the time to start.

Here’s this week’s highlights of actions you can take right now to reform the laws in your state.

For a complete listing of statewide actions, please visit NORML’s Take Action Center here.

Decriminalizing Marijuana: In a historic vote, members of the Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary last week approved Senate Bill 349, which as amended, would mandate that the possession of up to one-half ounce of marijuana by those over 18 years of age is punishable by a ticket — not criminal charges. The bill now awaits action from he full Senate. Show your support for this effort by logging on here or by getting in touch with Connecticut NORML here.

In Texas, members of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence will hear testimony on Wednesday in favor of House Bill 902 — an act to reduce the penalties for the possession of up to ounce of marijuana to fine-only offense. The hearing is scheduled for 2pm in room E-2028 in the State Capitol Building. If you live in Texas you can write your representative in support of HB 902 by going here. You can also leave a message for the Committee by going here. Full details on attending this week’s hearing are available from Texas NORML here.

Legalizing Medical Marijuana: Minnesota lawmakers continue to show their support for making medical cannabis legal. Senate File 97 is now before the Senate floor, and the House companion bill is also gaining momentum. If you reside in Minnesota and want to see it become the fourteenth state to legalize the physician-supervised use of cannabis, please visit here to contact your elected officials and the Governor’s office.

In Alabama, members of the House Judiciary Committee are scheduled to hear testimony this Wednesday in favor House Bill 434, The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act. If you live in Alabama you can contact your state officials here, and you can learn more about attending this week’s hearing from Alabamians for Compassionate Care here.

And since so many of you have asked: yes, medical marijuana legislation is coming to Pennsylvania. Over the past weeks, NORML state affiliates in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have been working closely with Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia) to draft legislation legalizing the authorized use of medical cannabis. Representative Cohen’s bill is anticipated to be formally introduced before the legislature later this month, and mainstream media outlets are already opining for its passage. For more information, or to become involved in this effort, please visit here, or contact the good folks at Philly NORML.

UPDATE: Montana GOP Kills Marijuana Law Reform: On March 23, members of the Montana House Judiciary Committee deadlocked 9 to 9 on House Bill 541, which sought to reclassify the possession of thirty grams or less of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction. Not one Republican voted in favor of the bill. An effort by supporters to raise the measure for reconsideration also failed.

Days later, members of the House Human Services Committee voted 8 to 8 on Friday, March 27, to table Senate Bill 326, which sought to expand Montana’s medical marijuana program. Once again, no Republicans endorsed the bill. A motion on the House floor to reconsider the bill failed 47 to 51.

More information on this disappointing news is available here. If you live in Montana, don’t just get angry — get involved!

To learn about additional pending legislation in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Vermont, please visit NORML’s Legislative Action Alerts page here.

As I wrote on NORML’s blog yesterday, let the White House laugh for now but the public knows that the marijuana law reform issue is no laughing matter.

More states are moving forward to reduce or eliminate criminal penalties for marijuana offenses, and this week has been especially busy.

If you have not yet gotten active in your state, now is most definitely the time to start.

Here’s this week’s latest summary of how you can get involved!

Taxing & Regulating Marijuana: As we noted previously this week, a pair of bills — House Bill 2929 and Senate Bill 1801 — seeking to “tax and regulate the cannabis industry” have been introduced in the Massachusetts legislature. You can show your support for these measures here.

In California, next Tuesday’s scheduled hearing before the Public Safety Committee on Assembly Bill 390: The Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act, has been postponed. However, this is a good news! Members of the Committee on Public Safety and Health were anticipated to vote on AB 390 immediately following next week’s hearing. While it is impossible to know how the Committee would have voted, all early indications were that several powerful members of the Committee were expected to oppose the bill. We now have additional time to lobby the Public Safety Committee and the Assembly to support AB 390, which you can do here and here.

Decriminalizing Marijuana: Members of the Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary heard testimony this week from NORML and others in favor of Senate Bill 349, which seeks to reclassify the possession of minor amounts of marijuana from a misdemeanor to an infraction. This measure is backed by a solid majority of state voters, and you can urge the Judiciary Committee to support this effort here.

Members of the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee also heard testimony in favor of a similar bill, Senate Bill 320. You can read about the hearing here, and voice your support by going here.

Finally in Montana, members of the House Judiciary Committee deadlocked in a 9 to 9 vote this week on House Bill 541, which seeks to reclassify the possession of thirty grams or less of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction. This action does not kill HB 541, as the Committee can reconsider the issue if just one member is persuaded to change their vote. Help them do so by going here.

Legalizing Medical Marijuana: In arguably the biggest legislative news of the week, members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted Wednesday 234 to 138 in favor of House Bill 648, which seeks to authorize the physician supervised use of marijuana. The vote marked the first time that either chamber of the legislature had voted in favor of the medicinal use of cannabis. You can learn more about this effort by going here and here.

In other progress, legislative committees in Illinois and Minnesota also approved medical marijuana bills this week. Key hearings and committee votes are also scheduled in the coming days in Montana and Alabama. You can learn how to support these and other statewide medical cannabis efforts at NORML’s Take Action Center here.

To learn about additional pending legislation in Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington, please visit NORML’s Legislative Action Alerts page here.

Below is this week’s summary of pending state legislation and tips to help you become involved in changing the laws in your state.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: On Tuesday, March 18, the House of Representatives will vote on House Bill 1623, which seeks to decriminalize marijuana possession. If you have not already done so, please contact your Representative and urge him or her to vote “yes” on HB 1623. Also, if you reside near the New Hampshire State House, you may wish to meet up with other local activists on Tuesday morning to watch the proceedings and show your support for sensible marijuana law reform.

RHODE ISLAND: Legislation seeking to authorize non-profit organizations to provide medical cannabis to state qualified patients was introduced in Rhode Island House and Senate. If passed, this first-of-its-kind law would provide patients with a regulated, legal market for medical marijuana. To learn how you can support this effort, please click here and here.

ALABAMA: Legislation seeking to make Alabama the thirteenth state to allow for the legal medical use of cannabis was introduced this week and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. If enacted, House Bill 679 (aka The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act) would allow patients with a doctor’s recommendation to grow up to 12 plants or possess up to 2.5 ounces of therapeutic cannabis. To get involved in supporting this bill, please visit NORML’s Take Action Center here.

ILLINOIS: A legislative subcommittee voted 5 to 5 this week to table a bill that sought to grant police the option of citing minor marijuana offenders rather than arresting them. A separate House committee also voted down legislation this week that sought to establish a statewide medical marijuana program. The Senate version of this bill is expected to go before the Illinois Senate in April. To help support this effort, please click here.