Lawmakers in Kentucky have filed new marijuana legislation with a notable bill number: HB 420. If passed, it would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older, though few expect the proposal to get through in the state’s Republican-controlled legislature this session.
As introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Rachel Roberts (D), HB 420 would legalize marijuana and license a variety of business types, including cultivators, processors and retailers. A 9 percent excise tax would be imposed both on wholesale and retail purchases, and local governments could levy an additional “licensing fee” of up to 5 percent “for the privilege of operating within the limits of the local government.”
420, of course, is a number of special significance for cannabis reform advocates, with April 20 being the unofficial holiday to celebrate the plant. It’s not clear if Roberts timed the filing of the legislation in order to get assigned bill number HB 420.
Under the Kentucky bill, consumer purchases of marijuana from licensed retailers would begin on July 1, 2026 under the proposal, though some provisions of the bill would kick in next year.
The 103-page measure would also prohibit discrimination by employers against workers who legally use cannabis outside
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