A week after the US midterm elections, cannabis policy is moving from the ballot box to the statehouse and Capitol Hill. Texas Democrats have prefiled legalisation bills, Wisconsin’s incoming leadership has committed to an adult-use market and 16 Democratic governors have asked Congress to pass the SAFE Banking Act. Illinois, meanwhile, has paused hemp enforcement for businesses suing the state, and Curaleaf has cleared its final competition reviews in the contest for Aurora Cannabis.
Sixteen governors urge Congress to pass the SAFE Banking Act
Sixteen Democratic governors have asked Congress to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act during the current lame-duck session, Cannabis Business Times reports. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who chairs the National Governors Association, led the letter to congressional leaders on 9 November. The bill would give banks and credit unions a safe harbour to serve state-licensed cannabis businesses, most of which still operate largely in cash. Signatories include JB Pritzker of Illinois, Kathy Hochul of New York and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. The House passed earlier versions seven times between 2019 and 2022, but each stalled in the Senate. The letter follows the move of medical cannabis to Schedule III. See our rescheduling hub.
Texas Democrats prefile legalisation bills for 2027
Texas Democrats filed three bills on 9 November, the first day of prefiling for the 90th Legislature, that would legalise adult-use cannabis, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD reports. House Bills 362 and 369, from Representatives John Bucy III and Joe Moody, would let adults aged 21 and over possess up to two ounces and grow 12 plants. Retail sales would carry a 20% tax on top of sales tax, with 15% levied on transfers from growers to retailers, and the Department of Licensing and Regulation would issue licences. Senator Carol Alvarado filed a similar measure, Senate Bill 237. Democrats won the House and the governor’s office in the midterms, but Republicans kept the Senate. The session opens on 12 January.
Wisconsin’s new majority signals an adult-use bill
Wisconsin’s incoming legislative leaders intend to advance adult-use legislation next session, NORML reports. Democrats flipped both the Senate and the Assembly in the midterms, and Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, expected to become speaker, has said the party intends to legalise within one to two years. Governor-elect David Crowley also backs legalisation. NORML notes that Wisconsin is one of the few states without significant medical cannabis access and that police made nearly 11,500 possession arrests there last year, the third-highest total of any state. Possession of any amount remains a criminal misdemeanour. Paul Armentano, NORML’s deputy director, said patients and responsible consumers “have waited long enough”. A 2025 Marquette Law School poll put support for legalisation at 67%.
Illinois pauses hemp enforcement for plaintiffs before Thursday’s ban
Illinois has agreed not to enforce its new intoxicating hemp restrictions against businesses suing to block them, the Chicago Tribune reports in a story syndicated by the Daily Herald. From Thursday, the state will ban sales of intoxicating hemp products outside cannabis dispensaries. According to a court filing in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, state defendants, including Attorney General Kwame Raoul, will not enforce the law against members of the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association and several other plaintiffs until 19 November, when the case returns to court. Craig Katz, the association’s president, says it represents more than 250 businesses employing over 5,000 people.
Curaleaf clears competition reviews in the Aurora contest
Curaleaf has secured every competition clearance it needs for its proposed takeover of Aurora Cannabis, according to a company statement published by Cannabis Business Times. Germany’s Federal Cartel Office confirmed on 3 November that the deal may proceed, a day after Canada’s Competition Bureau issued a no-action letter. Curaleaf’s improved offer of 6 October expires on 4 December unless withdrawn or amended. The company contrasts its position with Organigram’s rival agreement to acquire Aurora, which still requires shareholder, court and regulatory approval. Chief executive Boris Jordan said the path was now clear for Aurora shareholders. Follow the bid on our cannabis M&A tracker.
The Illinois hemp case returns to court on 19 November, Curaleaf’s offer for Aurora runs until 4 December, and the lame-duck session will show whether the governors’ letter moves the SAFE Banking Act. The bills prefiled in Texas and the pledges made in Wisconsin face their real test in the new year. Stay up to date with all the latest on the Cannabis News Hub.
