By a 19-9 vote, the Oregon Senate has passed Senate Bill 582, which authorizes the Governor to enter into agreements with other states for the purposes of “cross-jurisdictional coordinate and enforcement” of marijuana-related businesses and “cross-jurisdictional delivery of marijuana items” between Oregon and other states. The bill moves to the House where it has bipartisan support, and the Governor is expected to sign.

So what does this mean for Oregon cannabis businesses? For now, not much. There are at least two additional obstacles before marijuana import/export can start. First, SB 582 becomes operative only on the occurrence of either: 1) the amendment of federal law to allow for the interstate transfer of marijuana, or 2) the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issues an opinion or memorandum “allowing or tolerating” the interstate transfer of marijuana. Second, SB 582 contemplates an “agreement with another state,” which means that another state would have to pass similar enabling legislation, and the two states would then have to negotiate an agreement.

As to the federal issue, there are a few existing paths forward. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) recently reintroduced the STATES Act, which would carve out state law-compliant cannabis activity from the Controlled Substances Act. Agreements of the kind contemplated by SB 582 could be legal if the STATES Act passes. Alternately, a Cole-like memorandum from the DOJ “allowing or tolerating” interstate commerce isn’t out of the question — U.S. Attorney General William Barr is on record favoring reform of federal cannabis laws.

As to the state issue, Oregon is the first to advance this kind of legislation this far. While others may follow, interstate commerce raises a host of issues affecting intrastate cannabis industries. As we’ve written about here, Oregon faces a significant oversupply of adult use cannabis, and would benefit from the ability to export it. Growers in other states might feel differently, and there could well be lobbying in the other direction as other states’ cannabis industries come online, mature and organize.

Stay tuned here for the latest, and as always, our Cannabis team is standing by.