HR2935-119

What This Bill Does

The PREPARE Act does not legalize cannabis directly. It creates a Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis inside the Department of Justice to prepare the federal government for a possible end to federal marijuana prohibition. The commission must study a pathway to cannabis regulation modeled on alcohol regulation and recommend ways to address criminalization harms, access to financial services for cannabis entrepreneurs, research barriers, medical cannabis access, product safety and labeling, youth protection, revenue collection, crop production, interstate and international trade, and coexistence of hemp and cannabis industries. It must solicit public comment within 60 days, convene witness hearings within 180 days including state-licensed cannabis operators and people incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses, publish initial recommendations at 120 days, and publish a final report within one year.

Who Benefits and How

State cannabis regulators benefit because the commission is designed to learn from state regulatory systems and identify federal-state coordination barriers. Cannabis entrepreneurs benefit because access to banking, revenue reporting, product rules, and interstate trade barriers are explicit study topics. Medical cannabis patients benefit because the commission must examine medical access, research, medical training, and affordable treatment options. Minority communities affected by cannabis criminalization benefit because the bill requires attention to criminalization impacts and appoints members with that expertise.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Justice must establish and staff the commission, handle missed appointments, collect comments, and publish recommendations. Federal agencies named for membership must supply senior officials or experts from health, tax, agriculture, labor, education, housing, commerce, and drug-control offices. Commission members must attend quarterly meetings and can face review after two absences in a year. Cannabis opponents may face a formal federal planning process premised on eventual post-prohibition regulation.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis within the Department of Justice.
• Requires study of banking, research, medical access, product safety, youth protection, revenue, crop, trade, hemp, and equity barriers.
• Requires public comment, witness hearings, initial recommendations after 120 days, and a final report within one year.
• Establishes commission membership across Congress, DOJ, ATF, NHTSA, Education, OSHA, USDA, FDA, IRS, USTR, Commerce, HHS, NIH, VA, SBA, NIST, HUD, Labor, Treasury, ONDCP, OMH, IHS, industry, and state regulators.