Senator Cory Booker introduced S. 5022 on July 16, 2026; the bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. This is the 119th Congress version of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, not an enacted legalization law. Its sponsors describe a plan to remove cannabis from federal controlled-substance schedules while allowing states to maintain their own policies. That is a broader ambition than moving selected products to a different schedule. [1][3]
The introduced bill combines descheduling with federal regulation, taxation, public-health research, community investment, and access to small-business programs. Section 311 would establish federal cannabis-offense expungement and resentencing processes, with eligibility rules and exceptions. Other sections address federal benefits and immigration consequences. These are proposed federal changes; the bill should not be described as automatically erasing every state cannabis conviction. [2]
Our position.
Descheduling should include simple record-relief procedures, transparent grants, affordable compliance, and access for small businesses. Senators should explain which provisions they support, what they would change, and whether they will seek a hearing.
Questions and next steps.
Will your senators support a public hearing on S. 5022 and explain their positions on descheduling, expungement, and equitable access?
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