Massachusetts Senate Budget Committee Unanimously Approves Marijuana Reform Bill, Doubles Possession Limits

While the two proposals share the same broad goals, the Senate version includes several key differences that will shape the final negotiations. Senate Bill 2722 moves forward the plan to double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults 21 and older. Like the House bill, it raises the public limit from one ounce to two ounces and increases the in-home limit from ten ounces to 20 ounces. Both chambers agree on the possession changes, but they diverge in several structural and regulatory areas.

One of the largest contrasts involves the Cannabis Control Commission. The House bill creates a three-member body appointed by the governor, with one full-time chair and two part-time commissioners. The Senate version also calls for three commissioners but gives the chair a term aligned with the governor and adds stricter oversight requirements, including enhanced auditing and reporting standards.

The two chambers also differ in how they approach ownership thresholds and licensing. The House raises the definition of “ownership” from 10% equity to 35%, a move intended to reduce regulatory entanglements and streamline reviews. The Senate version keeps the six-license retail cap but appears to favor a lower ownership-equity threshold in order to maintain tighter transparency and oversight.

Both bills would extend regulation to consumable CBD items and hemp-derived beverages, applying a 5.35% sales tax and a $4.05 per-gallon excise tax on infused beverages. While the House version outlines a broad licensing and endorsement system, the Senate version includes additional restrictions on manufacturing channels and strengthens enforcement language to ensure product compliance.

Municipal provisions also differ. The House requires cities and towns to adopt a standardized host community agreement designed to help social equity applicants enter the market. The Senate version keeps the same general framework but adds language reinforcing local inspection authority and directing the commission to conduct audits of ownership structures, laboratory practices, and interstate involvement.

With the Senate budget committee’s unanimous vote, Senate Bill 2722 now heads to the full Senate. Once the chamber approves its version, lawmakers will need to reconcile the differences before sending a final bill to the governor. If enacted, the legislation would mark the most significant update to Massachusetts marijuana law since legalization, reshaping oversight, expanding possession rights, and bringing the fast-growing hemp-derived market under a clearer regulatory structure.