2021 is coming to a close—and seriously, how did that happen so fast? Since it’s that time of year to reflect on the year that was, these were some of the biggest stories in weed in 2021:

The War on Drugs Wages On at the Olympics

Sha’Carri Richardson was denied the chance to compete in the Tokyo Summer Olympics because she tested positive for THC. Richardson dominated the women’s 100-meter qualifying race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon. However, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prohibited her from competing after the positive test.

“Richardson’s competitive results obtained on June 19, 2021, including her Olympic qualifying results at the Team Trials, have been disqualified, and she forfeits any medals, points, and prizes,” a statement from the USADA said.

Richardson, who had just learned about her mother’s death, consumed marijuana in Oregon, a legal cannabis state. Despite the lack of evidence that marijuana or THC enhances athletic ability and a petition signed by more than half a million people, Richardson could not compete.

 

Colorado Lawmakers Want to Reduce Access to Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Colorado’s Speaker of the House, Alec Garnett (D-Denver), introduced legislation to tighten rules for medical marijuana and marijuana concentrates. The Colorado Legislature passed HB 1317 in June, and Governor Jared Polis (D-Colorado), signed the bill into law in the same month.

A new state tracking system will monitor medical marijuana patients’ purchases to prevent them from buying more than the allowed daily limit. Additionally, the law lowered the purchase limit on concentrates for medical and recreational to 8 grams per day, down from the previous 40-gram limit. For medical marijuana patients between the ages of 18-20, the limit on concentrates was lowered to two grams per day.

 

Amazon Drops Marijuana Testing for Employees, Supports Legalization

Amazon, one of the largest employers in the United States, dropped drug testing for applicants and employees this year.

“We will no longer include marijuana in our comprehensive drug screening program for any positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation, and will instead treat it the same as alcohol use. We will continue to do impairment checks on the job and will test for all drugs and alcohol after any incident,” the company said in a blog post.

Going one step further, the company said that they would actively lobby Congress to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, which would legalize cannabis nationally.

Dems Move to Legalize Marijuana Nationwide in 2021, Improve Access to Banking

This may be the biggest story that wasn’t. We’re at the end of 2021, and there still hasn’t been any movement on ending the prohibition on cannabis or improving access to banking.

Several marijuana legalization and banking bills were introduced in the last few years, including the MORE Act and the SAFE Banking Act. In 2020, the House passed the MORE Act, but it never received a hearing in the Senate. The House passed different versions of the SAFE Banking Act five times, but like the MORE Act, it stalled in the Senate.

One of the sponsors of the SAFE Banking Act, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), said in a statement, “[P]eople are still getting killed and businesses are still getting robbed because of a lack of action from the Senate. The SAFE Banking Act has been sitting in the Senate for three years and with every passing day their unwillingness to deal with the issue endangers and harms businesses, their employees, and communities across the country.”

Youth Marijuana Use Shows No Increase with Legalization

In states that have legalized adult-use marijuana, youth marijuana use has not increased.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that teen marijuana use decreased after legalization. Researchers analyzed data from 1.4 million high school students between 1993 and 2017 and found an 8 percent decrease in teen use after states legalized recreational marijuana.

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) analyzed ten years of data from students in grades 9-12 who reported marijuana use in the previous 30 days. They found that between 2009 and 2019, youth marijuana use has remained essentially unchanged.

“The overall percentage of students who reported using marijuana at least 1 time during the previous 30 days in 2019 was not measurably different from the percentage in 2009…. There was no measurable difference between 2009 and 2019 in the percentage of students who reported that illegal drugs were made available to them on school property.”

The findings are consistent with prior data concerning youth marijuana use.

Love ’em or hate ’em, cannabis and celebrity partnerships are here to stay. Here are a few of the biggest names who have gone all-in on marijuana:

Mike Tyson

One of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, Mike Tyson was once more well known for his controversial behavior than his cannabis advocacy. And, well, maybe he is still more well-known for the whole ear-biting thing, but these days, Tyson has mellowed out. After launching and closing down his first canna-biz –  the Tyson Ranch, he’s ready for the next big thing.

“My life was just miserable, I was out of control. I was fighting with everybody. If someone asked me for an autograph, I’d punch them in the face. I was just a mess, and then after I retired, I started smoking,” Tyson said. “What a mistake that was — I should have smoked my whole career. I should have smoked when I was fighting because it put me in this different state of mind. I’m very relaxed and the more relaxed you are, the better fighter you are at least in my case.”

Iron Mike credits his most recent comeback to cannabis—so much so that he partnered with Columbia Care to release his own cannabis line, Tyson 2.0

 

Allen Iverson

NBA legend Allen Iverson launched the Iverson Collection, a line of cannabis products created in partnership with fellow NBA alum Al Harrington’s cannabis brand, Viola. Not your everyday cannabis, the first strain in the Iverson Collection was designed to taste like Dom Pérignon champagne.

The irony of creating a cannabis line isn’t lost on Iverson, who was once arrested and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in Virginia.

“I could hear the people in the crowd calling me weed head on the road. It was bad and now all these years later look where we are and how far we’ve come,” he told Bleacher Report.

 

Josh Blue

And, of course, we can’t talk about cannabis and celebrity partnerships without mentioning Josh Blue. Most recently a finalist on America’s Got Talent, Josh Blue is a stand-up comedian with a long history in the cannabis community. Blue partnered with Mountain High Suckers to create Josh Blue’s Dream Suckers, a THC- and CBD-infused edible.

 

Jim Belushi

A comedian and actor extraordinaire, Jim Belushi didn’t partner with a cannabis company. He went all in and started a cannabis farm in Oregon called Belushi’s Farm. Belushi, who uses cannabis to treat his PTSD, is also a cannabis advocate. In addition to his work with veterans suffering from PTSD, Belushi is also a board member for The Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit committed to cannabis criminal justice reform.

Belushi told High Times, “It’s humiliating to the men and women who are incarcerated from the failed War on Drugs, and it also collapses the fabric of their families. It’s time to get these nonviolent cannabis prisoners out. There are millions of dollars being made in our industry today, and these men and women really are the ones who laid the groundwork for our industry, and they’re in jail.”

 

Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman

Famous stoner comedians Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman are using their celebrity to advocate for federal marijuana legalization. They’ve partnered with Cannabis in Common to pressure lawmakers in Congress to end cannabis prohibition.

“Americans can’t agree on anything can we?” Silverman asked in a promotional video. “Fortunately there is at least one thing most Americans have in common: more than two-thirds of us agree cannabis should be legalized and we have a real shot at getting federal legalization done now if we speak up.”

Rogen launched his own line of cannabis, dubbed Houseplant, in Canada after marijuana was legalized there in 2018.

 

Justin Bieber

Pop star Justin Bieber is the latest celebrity to jump on the cannabis bandwagon by partnering with Palms Premium, a brand of cannabis pre-rolls. The line of pre-rolls is sold under the name “Peaches,” a reference to his song of the same name.

“I’m a fan of Palms and what they are doing by making cannabis approachable and helping to destigmatize it—especially for the many people who find it helpful for their mental health. I wanted to make sure that I was doing something with them that felt genuine and Peaches felt like a good place to start,” Bieber said.

Governor Jared Polis (D-CO) sent a letter to the sponsors of a cannabis legalization bill, asking them to consider passing marijuana banking and tax reform first.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Senator John Wyden (D-OR) are co-sponsors of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). The bill aims to deschedule marijuana and promote social equity.

In his letter, Polis urged the senators to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act before the CAOA.

“I am thrilled that you are bringing forward a long-term, comprehensive solution that deschedules cannabis while enhancing social equity pathways. I hope that you will first focus your efforts on the two biggest barriers to the success of the cannabis industry: banking and IRS Code Section 280E (280E). Legislation to address these issues has more bipartisan support than ever before and can be passed in the short-term as you continue to work on the details of the CAOA.”

Access to banking has been a challenge for the cannabis industry from the beginning. The SAFE Banking Act would protect banks working with the cannabis industry from being penalized or violating federal anti-money laundering and illicit finance laws.

“The cannabis industry is simply too large to be prohibited from banking opportunities, and the Senate must remedy this harm by bringing this measure up for a vote in the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs immediately.”

“Congress has the power and traction to address these inequities in the near-term while continuing to refine the CAOA, and I encourage you to efficiently take any opportunity to pass legislation concerning banking or 280E,” the governor wrote.

Polis cautioned the lawmakers against too high of a tax rate in the CAOA.

“It is critical that the tax level is not so cost prohibitive that it undermines the federal legal cannabis systems both already in place and being developed in emerging regulated cannabis states,” he wrote.

“I encourage the bill sponsors to carefully consider the federal excise tax rate so as not to set it so high that it would supplant much needed and relied upon state and local taxes. We should regulate cannabis similarly to alcohol; so it is appropriate for the bill sponsors to continue to look to the alcohol taxation framework for guidance on setting the appropriate tax rate for cannabis.”

The letter was sent in response to a public comment request from the senators who drafted the CAOA.

According to a federal study, states that have legalized adult-use marijuana have not seen an increase in either youth marijuana use or availability.

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) analyzed ten years of data from students in grades 9-12 who reported marijuana use in the previous 30 days. They found that between 2009 and 2019, youth marijuana use has remained essentially unchanged.

“The overall percentage of students who reported using marijuana at least 1 time during the previous 30 days in 2019 was not measurably different from the percentage in 2009…. There was no measurable difference between 2009 and 2019 in the percentage of students who reported that illegal drugs were made available to them on school property.”

The findings are consistent with prior data concerning youth marijuana use.

Despite the claim by cannabis opponents that marijuana use among teens would increase with legalization, the data tells a different story. In 2009, before the first recreational dispensaries opened, 21 percent of high school students reported cannabis use within the previous 30 days. In 2019, with recreational cannabis legal in 17 states, 22 percent of students reported recently using marijuana.

The percentage of high school students who use marijuana has remained consistent both before and after statewide cannabis legalization.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) biennial Healthy Kids Colorado Survey found similar results.

“Youth marijuana use has not significantly changed since legalization, but the way youth are using marijuana is changing. In 2019, 20.6% of youth said they use marijuana compared to 19.4% in 2017. More youth are now vaping marijuana — 10.6% in 2019 compared to 5.1% in 2015. Dabbing rose from 4.3% in 2015 to 20.4% in 2019,” according to a press release.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that teen marijuana use decreased after legalization. Researchers analyzed data from 1.4 million high school students between 1993 and 2017 and found an 8 percent decrease in teen use after states legalized recreational marijuana.

“Consistent with the results of previous researchers, there was no evidence that the legalization of medical marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth. Moreover, the estimates reported…showed that marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes.”

Well, it was another pandemic 4/20. While the smoke-outs and festivals were, for the most part, put on hold again this year, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot to celebrate in cannabis. Here’s a roundup of some of the marijuana-related news that we’re looking forward to:

Marijuana Banking

If it seems like the marijuana industry has been trying to get access to banking for forever, well, you’re not wrong.

Although states continue to legalize marijuana at a steady clip, federal law prevents banks from doing business with the cannabis industry.

The American Bankers Association has been lobbying in support of the SAFE Banking Act, legislation that was introduced last year.

“Banks find themselves in a difficult situation due to the conflict between state and federal law, with local communities encouraging them to bank cannabis businesses and federal law prohibiting it,” the group wrote in a letter to lawmakers. “Congress must act to resolve this conflict.”

This week the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow banks to open their doors to cannabis companies in legal states. The SAFE Banking Act passed the House in a 321-101 vote.

Despite a false start in 2019, there’s hope that the bill has a real chance of passing in the Senate with this new Congress. However, some Democrats favor bypassing piecemeal legislation and going for comprehensive change—nationwide cannabis legalization.

The Push for Nationwide Marijuana Legalization

While there’s already legislation that would remove marijuana from the list of Controlled Substances—including the MORE and STATES Acts—Democrats are planning on unveiling legislation that is a “unified discussion draft on comprehensive reform to ensure restorative justice, protect public health and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) are the lead authors of the legislation, which Democrats promise will be introduced any day now.

While we don’t have many details beyond the bill legalizing marijuana nationwide, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has said that the legislation will address social equity, banking protections, and prioritization for small businesses.

Sixteen states plus the District of Columbia have legalized adult-use marijuana, making cannabis consumption legal for more than a third of Americans. As cannabis is legalized state-by-state, it’s a matter of “when” not “if” marijuana will be legalized in the United States.

Denver Weed Delivery

Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. While states like California have had marijuana delivery since state legalization, it’s been a long time coming in Colorado. Although the state green-lit cannabis delivery in 2019, municipalities have been slow to opt-in.

However, that’s all about to change in Denver this summer. This week, the Denver City Council unanimously approved a bill to allow dispensaries to hire third-party vendors to deliver weed to Denverites. The bill also removes Denver’s 220-store recreational marijuana dispensary cap. Any new cannabis dispensaries or marijuana delivery services will have to meet the state’s social equity criteria.

Mayor Michael Hancock (D) is expected to sign the bill, and cannabis delivery in Denver could start by late summer.

New York state has legalized adult-use marijuana, becoming the 15th state in the country to end cannabis prohibition.

In addition to legalizing recreational cannabis, the legislation that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed into law last Wednesday will expunge the records of people with a previous marijuana conviction.

“This is a historic day in New York — one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits,” Cuomo said in a statement. “I’m proud these comprehensive reforms address and balance the social equity, safety and economic impacts of legal adult-use cannabis.”

Keep in mind that marijuana sales won’t start immediately, as the state needs time to establish a regulatory framework. The first cannabis sales are expected to begin in 2022.

Under the new law, adults can possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate and cultivate up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants. Social consumption sites and weed delivery will be permitted.

Tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales will go towards education, a community grants reinvestment fund, and a drug treatment and public education fund. The state estimates that legalizing marijuana will create 30,000 to 60,000 jobs in the state.

New York’s neighbor, New Jersey, legalized recreational marijuana earlier this year.

“We expect 2021 to be a record-breaking year for legislatures legalizing cannabis,” Steve Hawkins, executive director at the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. “More than two-thirds of Americans believe it’s time to end prohibition and this move represents the latest example of elected officials joining the chorus of support for legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults.”

The New Mexico Legislature ended their 60-day legislative session Saturday without hearing a bill to legalize marijuana. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced that she would call a special session on the issue before the end of March.

“We’re going to have a special session in a week or so. We’re going to get cannabis because I am not going to wait another year,” the Governor said. “We’re going to win it, and it’s going to have the social justice aspects that we know have to be in the package.”

HB 12 passed the state House of Representatives in February, and the Senate was scheduled to hear the legislation on their last full day in session. However, as the legislative session ended on Saturday, it was clear that the Senate didn’t have time to hear the bill.

In a joint statement issued by the bill’s sponsors, Reps. Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) and Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) supported the Governor’s announcement of a special session.

We need to legalize adult-use cannabis tonight or in a special session. It’s now up to the Senate to have a vote. House Bill 12 puts forward New Mexico’s best opportunity to establish a multi-million-dollar industry with a framework that prioritizes social justice and equal opportunity for our communities. The Governor has made a commitment to sign a bill that represents our shared principles, and we welcome any avenue to do so. New Mexico is ready.”

If the Senate passes HB 12, it will allow the sale of recreational cannabis to adults 21 and older starting in April 2022.

“I believe legalization will be one of the largest job-creation programs in state history, driving entrepreneurial opportunities statewide for decades to come,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “I look forward to continuing to work with lawmakers to get the job done right.”

If the Senate passes HB 12 during a special session, it will head back to the House for final changes before going to the Governor for her signature.

It has been a slow start for medical marijuana in Missouri. In 2018, voters approved Amendment 2, allowing doctors to prescribe medical cannabis for qualifying medical conditions.

Since then, not a whole lot has happened. 372 Missouri-based medical marijuana businesses have received licenses from the state, but only 43 have received approval to operate as of December 31 of last year. Twenty-two approvals have gone to retail medical marijuana dispensaries, while 13 approvals have been granted to cannabis cultivation centers. More than 700 potential marijuana businesses that didn’t receive licenses have active appeals.

In a bit of good news for medical marijuana patients in the state, edible marijuana products went on sale for the first time in Missouri during the first week of 2021. While production is expected to be slow until more cultivation centers and retail dispensaries are licensed, it’s still a step forward for medical cannabis in Missouri.

Another first for Missouri is the Republican state lawmaker who wants to legalize recreational marijuana.

We spend more time and more law enforcement resources going after marijuana smokers than all the other drugs combined,” said Rep. Shamed Dogan (R). “Ten percent of the arrest in the state of Missouri right now are from marijuana possession.”

Dogan hopes legalization will bring more revenue to the state and eliminate the black market.

“I think alcohol prohibition taught us that trying to prohibit something this way, the way we’ve gone about marijuana prohibition, it backfires,” Dogan said.

Dogan plans to introduce a constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 30, during the 2021 legislative session. If lawmakers approve the amendment, residents could vote on legal recreational marijuana as early as 2022.

Dogan’s legislation doesn’t directly address racial inequity, but he does support clearing previous marijuana convictions.

“And it automatically lets out of prison anybody that is still serving a prison term for marijuana-only offenses and then expunges from your record if you have a non-violent marijuana offense,” Dogan said. “If you are currently incarcerated [for more than] a marijuana offense, so if you have a marijuana offense, but you also committed a robbery, you don’t get out.

Whether it was a year to remember or a year you wish you could forget, 2020 is coming to a close.

Here were some of the biggest stories in weed this year:

Five more states vote to legalize recreational, medical marijuana

While marijuana prohibition is still in effect at the federal level, voters in states across the country continue to push to legalize marijuana.

This November, four states voted to legalize adult-use marijuana, and two states legalized medical marijuana.

Arizona

In Arizona, voters passed Proposition 207, legalizing recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older. Recreational sales are expected to begin in March 2021. Arizonans can grow up to six cannabis plants at home or no more than 12 plants in a house with more than one adult. Additionally, Arizonans with a prior marijuana conviction can petition to have the record expunged as of July 12, 2021.

New Jersey

Voters in the Garden State said ‘yes’ to Question 1, legalizing adult-use cannabis. Adults 21 and older will be able to purchase and possess legal cannabis, subject to rules and regulations that will be overseen by the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which already oversees New Jersey’s medical marijuana program.

Montana

Montana is so into legal weed that they voted on not one but two ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana.

Initiative 190 legalized the sale and possession of up to an ounce of cannabis and the cultivation of up to four cannabis plants and four cannabis seedlings at home. Recreational marijuana sales will be subject to a 20% tax.

Constitutional Initiative 118 amended the state constitution to allow the Legislature to set the age for adults permitted to possess and consume marijuana to 21 years and older.

South Dakota

In South Dakota, voters went all in for legal cannabis, simultaneously legalizing medical and recreational marijuana.

Measure 26 to legalize medical marijuana passed with a whopping 69% of the vote. Amendment A passed with the approval of 52% of voters, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of cannabis. However, the new law doesn’t kick in until July 1, 2021, so for now, it’s still illegal to possess marijuana in South Dakota.

Mississippi

Mississippians approved Ballot Initiative 65 to legalize medical marijuana in their state. Residents will be able to apply for a medical marijuana card for 22 qualifying conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Each medical marijuana patient will be able to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis per 14-day period.

After November’s election, 15 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis, and 35 states have legalized medical marijuana.

Europe’s Highest Court Rules that CBD is Not a Narcotic

The future of the CBD market in Europe is set to expand with a ruling from the European Union’s (EU) highest court that CBD is not a narcotic. According to the ruling, CBD “does not appear to have any psychotropic effect or any harmful effect on human health.”

Before the ruling, many CBD products in the EU existed in the grey market that allowed cannabis to be sold for agricultural purposes.

The ruling comes as the result of a lawsuit in France against a company that makes CBD oil from whole hemp plants. Only the fiber and seeds of hemp plants containing less than 0.2% THC could be used commercially in France.

The EU court ruled that France’s law banning the use of whole plant hemp-derived CBD went against the EU’s law on the free movement of goods.

Marijuana Dispensaries Essential Businesses During COVID-19

In March, COVID-19 upended our lives and temporarily shuttered businesses across the country. Marijuana dispensaries were among the businesses deemed essential.

After stay-at-home orders were issued in Colorado, recreational marijuana dispensaries converted to online pre-orders and curbside pickup. While Gov. Jared Polis (D) said that recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries were “critical” retail businesses, the process wasn’t without hiccups.

In contradiction to the governor, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (D) deemed recreational marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores non-essential. Several hours later, Denver officials walked back the decision after hordes of Denverites rushed to stores to stock up.

Pandemic marijuana sales consistently break records

Maybe people just needed a way to cope, or maybe they had more free time—whatever the reason, marijuana sales records broke records month-over-month this year.

Colorado dispensaries sold $192,175,937 worth of marijuana in May, about 11 percent higher than the previous sales record of $173.2 million set in August 2019. Colorado cannabis sales were up 29% from April and up 32% as compared to May 2019.

Adult-use marijuana sales amounted to $158,102,628 during June, the first time that more than $150 million worth of recreational cannabis had been sold during June.

Marijuana sales hit an all-time high in July at $226 million, and for the year, more than $1.63 billion in cannabis products have been sold in the state.

 

On December 4, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end federal marijuana prohibition.

Under the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, cannabis would be decriminalized and removed as a scheduled substance.

The MORE Act would expunge federal marijuana convictions and create a reinvestment program to support individuals most impacted by the War on Drugs. A 5% federal tax on cannabis would go toward services such as job training, legal aid, and literacy and health education programs.

Rep. Ed Blumenauer (D-OR), who has long advocated for marijuana legalization, said that the bill is “going to make a huge difference for people all across America as Congress starts to catch up to where the American public is.”

“There’s a whole range of things that the MORE Act fixes,” Blumenauer said. “But most important is it stops this failed war on drugs that is so unfair to Americans of color, particularly black and brown. It will stop the federal interference with research. It’ll allow this emerging market to thrive, make it possible for more people to participate and be able to get on with their lives.”

The bill passed by a vote of 228 to 164, with 222 Democrats, five Republicans, and one Independent voting in support.

At a press event following the bill’s passage, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) said that this “really is a moment for racial justice. We know that this year has put inequality and systemic racism to the forefront of our attention, and there’s no better way to close out this year than to really begin to atone for the destructive policies brought on by the failed war on drugs.”

The House might be as far as legalizing marijuana goes for now, however. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Senate Majority Leader, is against ending cannabis prohibition. McConnell, also known as the Grim Reaper when it comes to killing legislation, is expected to block any marijuana bills from getting a vote in the Senate. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (D-CA) is the lead sponsor of the Senate version of the bill.