business concern owned and controlled by so-
cially and economically disadvantaged individ-
uals’’ has the meaning given in section 
8(d)(3)(C) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
637(d)(3)(C)). 
(D) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
of the several States, the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the 
United States, and any Indian Tribe (as defined 
in section 201 of Public Law 90–294 (25 U.S.C. 
1301) (commonly known as the ‘‘Indian Civil 
Rights Act of 1968’’)). 
(c) STUDY ON PROGRAMS.— 
(1) GAO STUDY.—The Comptroller General of 
the United States, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the Small Business Administration, shall 
conduct an annual study on the individuals and enti-
ties receiving assistance under the Cannabis Restora-
tive Opportunity and Equitable Licensing Programs. 
This study shall include the types of assistance by 
state, and a description of the efforts by the Small 
Business Administration to increase access to capital 
for cannabis-related small business concerns owned 
and controlled by socially and economically disadvan-
taged individuals, individuals adversely impacted by 
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the War on Drugs, as well as the racial, ethnic, eco-
nomic and gender composition of the eligible State or 
locality. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit a report on the re-
sults of the study conducted under paragraph (1) to— 
(A) the Committee on Small Business of the 
House of Representatives; 
(B) the Committee on Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship of the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
Senate. 
SEC. 7. AVAILABILITY OF SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRA-
TION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO CAN-
NABIS-RELATED 
LEGITIMATE 
BUSINESSES 
AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS RELATING TO CANNABIS-RELATED 
LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.—Sec-
tion 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(gg) CANNABIS-RELATED LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES 
AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.—In this Act: 
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‘‘(1) CANNABIS.—The term ‘cannabis’— 
‘‘(A) means— 
‘‘(i) all parts of the plant Cannabis 
sativa L., whether growing or not; 
‘‘(ii) the seeds thereof; 
‘‘(iii) the resin extracted from any part 
of such plant; and 
‘‘(iv) every compound, manufacture, 
salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of 
such plant, its seeds or resin; and 
‘‘(B) does not include— 
‘‘(i) hemp, as defined in section 297A 
of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946; 
‘‘(ii) the mature stalks of such plant, 
fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake 
made from the seeds of such plant, any 
other compound, manufacture, salt, deriva-
tive, mixture, or preparation of such ma-
ture stalks (except the resin extracted there-
from), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized 
seed of such plant which is incapable of ger-
mination; or 
‘‘(iii) any drug product approved 
under section 505 of the Federal Food, 
Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or biological prod-
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uct licensed under section 351 of the Public 
Health Service Act. 
‘‘(2) 
CANNABIS-RELATED
LEGITIMATE
BUSI-
NESS.—The term ‘cannabis-related legitimate busi-
ness’ means a manufacturer, producer, or any person 
or company that is a small business concern and 
that— 
‘‘(A) engages in any activity described in 
subparagraph (B) pursuant to a law established 
by a State or a political subdivision of a State, 
as determined by such State or political subdivi-
sion; and 
‘‘(B) participates in any business or orga-
nized activity that involves handling cannabis or 
cannabis products, including cultivating, pro-
ducing, manufacturing, selling, transporting, 
displaying, dispensing, distributing, or pur-
chasing cannabis or cannabis products. 
‘‘(3) SERVICE PROVIDER.—The term ‘service pro-
vider’— 
‘‘(A) means a business, organization, or 
other person that— 
‘‘(i) sells goods or services to a can-
nabis-related legitimate business; or 
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‘‘(ii) provides any business services, in-
cluding the sale or lease of real or any other 
property, legal or other licensed services, or 
any other ancillary service, relating to can-
nabis; and 
‘‘(B) does not include a business, organiza-
tion, or other person that participates in any 
business or organized activity that involves han-
dling cannabis or cannabis products, including 
cultivating, producing, manufacturing, selling, 
transporting, displaying, dispensing, distrib-
uting, or purchasing cannabis or cannabis prod-
ucts.’’. 
(b) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.—Sec-
tion 21(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED LEGITI-
MATE
BUSINESSES
AND
SERVICE
PROVIDERS.—A 
small business development center may not decline to 
provide services to an otherwise eligible small business 
concern under this section solely because such concern 
is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service 
provider.’’. 
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(c) WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS.—Section 29 of the 
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(p) SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED LEGITIMATE 
BUSINESSES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.—A women’s busi-
ness center may not decline to provide services to an other-
wise eligible small business concern under this section solely 
because such concern is a cannabis-related legitimate busi-
ness or service provider.’’. 
(d) SCORE.—Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new sentence: ‘‘The head of the SCORE 
program established under this subparagraph may not de-
cline to provide services to an otherwise eligible small busi-
ness concern solely because such concern is a cannabis-re-
lated legitimate business or service provider.’’. 
(e) VETERAN BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.—Sec-
tion 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(h) SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED LEGITIMATE 
BUSINESSES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.—A Veteran Busi-
ness Outreach Center may not decline to provide services 
to an otherwise eligible small business concern under this 
section solely because such concern is a cannabis-related le-
gitimate business or service provider.’’. 
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cern solely because such small business concern is a can-
nabis-related legitimate business or service provider (as de-
fined in section 7(a)(38) of the Small Business Act).’’. 
SEC. 8. NO DISCRIMINATION IN THE PROVISION OF A FED-
ERAL PUBLIC BENEFIT ON THE BASIS OF 
CANNABIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may be denied any Fed-
eral public benefit (as such term is defined in section 401(c) 
of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Rec-
onciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1611(c))) on the basis 
of any use or possession of cannabis, or on the basis of a 
conviction or adjudication of juvenile delinquency for a 
cannabis offense, by that person. 
(b) SECURITY CLEARANCES.—Federal agencies may 
not use past or present cannabis or marijuana use as cri-
teria for granting, denying, or rescinding a security clear-
ance. 
SEC. 9. NO ADVERSE EFFECT FOR PURPOSES OF THE IMMI-
GRATION LAWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of the immigration 
laws (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act), cannabis may not be considered 
a controlled substance, and an alien may not be denied any 
benefit or protection under the immigration laws based on 
any event, including conduct, a finding, an admission, ad-
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diction or abuse, an arrest, a juvenile adjudication, or a 
conviction, relating to cannabis, regardless of whether the 
event occurred before, on, or after the effective date of this 
Act. 
(b) CANNABIS DEFINED.—The term ‘‘cannabis’’— 
(1) means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa 
L., whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin 
extracted from any part of such plant; and every 
compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or 
preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin; and 
(2) does not include— 
(A) hemp, as defined in section 297A of the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946; 
(B) the mature stalks of such plant, fiber 
produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from 
the seeds of such plant, any other compound, 
manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or prepa-
ration of such mature stalks (except the resin ex-
tracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake, or the steri-
lized seed of such plant which is incapable of 
germination; or 
(C) any drug product approved under sec-
tion 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cos-
metic Act, or biological product licensed under 
section 351 of the Public Health Service Act. 
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(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO IMMIGRATION AND 
NATIONALITY ACT.—The Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 212(h), by striking ‘‘and subpara-
graph (A)(i)(II) of such subsection insofar as it re-
lates to a single offense of simple possession of 30 
grams or less of marijuana’’; 
(2) in section 237(a)(2)(B)(i), by striking ‘‘other 
than a single offense involving possession for one’s 
own use of 30 grams or less of marijuana’’; 
(3) in section 101(f)(3), by striking ‘‘(except as 
such paragraph relates to a single offense of simple 
possession of 30 grams or less of marihuana)’’; 
(4) in section 244(c)(2)(A)(iii)(II) by striking 
‘‘except for so much of such paragraph as relates to 
a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or 
less of marijuana’’; 
(5) in section 245(h)(2)(B) by striking ‘‘(except 
for so much of such paragraph as related to a single 
offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of 
marijuana)’’; 
(6) in section 210(c)(2)(B)(ii)(III) by striking ‘‘, 
except for so much of such paragraph as relates to a 
single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less 
of marihuana’’; and 
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(7) in section 245A(d)(2)(B)(ii)(II) by striking 
‘‘, except for so much of such paragraph as relates to 
a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or 
less of marihuana’’. 
SEC. 10. RESENTENCING AND EXPUNGEMENT. 
(a) EXPUNGEMENT OF NON-VIOLENT FEDERAL CAN-
NABIS
OFFENSE
CONVICTIONS
FOR
INDIVIDUALS
NOT 
UNDER A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SENTENCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, each Federal 
district shall conduct a comprehensive review and 
issue an order expunging each conviction or adjudica-
tion of juvenile delinquency for a non-violent Federal 
cannabis offense entered by each Federal court in the 
district before the date of enactment of this Act and 
on or after May 1, 1971. Each Federal court shall 
also issue an order expunging any arrests associated 
with each expunged conviction or adjudication of ju-
venile delinquency. 
(2) NOTIFICATION.—To the extent practicable, 
each Federal district shall notify each individual 
whose arrest, conviction, or adjudication of delin-
quency has been expunged pursuant to this subsection 
that their arrest, conviction, or adjudication of juve-
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nile delinquency has been expunged, and the effect of 
such expungement. 
(3) 
RIGHT
TO
PETITION
COURT
FOR 
EXPUNGEMENT.—At any point after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, any individual with a prior convic-
tion or adjudication of juvenile delinquency for a 
non-violent Federal cannabis offense, who is not 
under a criminal justice sentence, may file a motion 
for expungement. If the expungement of such a convic-
tion or adjudication of juvenile delinquency is re-
quired pursuant to this Act, the court shall expunge 
the conviction or adjudication, and any associated ar-
rests. If the individual is indigent, counsel shall be 
appointed to represent the individual in any pro-
ceedings under this subsection. 
(4) SEALED RECORD.—The court shall seal all 
records related to a conviction or adjudication of ju-
venile delinquency that has been expunged under this 
subsection. Such records may only be made available 
by further order of the court. 
(b) SENTENCING REVIEW FOR INDIVIDUALS UNDER A 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SENTENCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For any individual who is 
under a criminal justice sentence for a non-violent 
Federal cannabis offense, the court that imposed the 
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sentence shall, on motion of the individual, the Direc-
tor of the Bureau of Prisons, the attorney for the Gov-
ernment, or the court, conduct a sentencing review 
hearing. If the individual is indigent, counsel shall be 
appointed to represent the individual in any sen-
tencing review proceedings under this subsection. 
(2) POTENTIAL REDUCED RESENTENCING.—After 
a sentencing hearing under paragraph (1), a court 
shall— 
(A) expunge each conviction or adjudication 
of juvenile delinquency for a non-violent Federal 
cannabis offense entered by the court before the 
date of enactment of this Act, and any associated 
arrest; 
(B) vacate the existing sentence or disposi-
tion of juvenile delinquency and, if applicable, 
impose any remaining sentence or disposition of 
juvenile delinquency on the individual as if this 
Act, and the amendments made by this Act, were 
in effect at the time the offense was committed; 
and 
(C) order that all records related to a con-
viction or adjudication of juvenile delinquency 
that has been expunged or a sentence or disposi-
tion of juvenile delinquency that has been va-
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cated under this Act be sealed and only be made 
available by further order of the court. 
(c) EFFECT OF EXPUNGEMENT.—An individual who 
has had an arrest, a conviction, or juvenile delinquency ad-
judication expunged under this section— 
(1) may treat the arrest, conviction, or adjudica-
tion as if it never occurred; and 
(2) shall be immune from any civil or criminal 
penalties related to perjury, false swearing, or false 
statements, for a failure to disclose such arrest, con-
viction, or adjudication. 
(d) EXCEPTION.—An individual who at sentencing re-
ceived an aggravating role adjustment pursuant to United 
States Sentencing Guideline 3B1.1(a) in relation to a Fed-
eral cannabis offense conviction shall not be eligible for 
expungement of that Federal cannabis offense conviction 
under this section. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Federal cannabis offense’’ means 
an offense that is no longer punishable pursuant to 
this Act or the amendments made under this Act. 
(2) The term ‘‘expunge’’ means, with respect to 
an arrest, a conviction, or a juvenile delinquency ad-
judication, the removal of the record of such arrest, 
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conviction, or adjudication from each official index or 
public record. 
(3) The term ‘‘under a criminal justice sentence’’ 
means, with respect to an individual, that the indi-
vidual is serving a term of probation, parole, super-
vised release, imprisonment, official detention, pre-re-
lease custody, or work release, pursuant to a sentence 
or disposition of juvenile delinquency imposed on or 
after the effective date of the Controlled Substances 
Act (May 1, 1971). 
(f) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 
States, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, shall conduct a demographic study of in-
dividuals convicted of a Federal cannabis offense. Such 
study shall include information about the age, race, eth-
nicity, sex, and gender identity of those individuals, the 
type of community such users dwell in, and such other de-
mographic information as the Comptroller General deter-
mines should be included. 
(g) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall report to Congress the results of the 
study conducted under subsection (f). 
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SEC. 11. REFERENCES IN EXISTING LAW TO MARIJUANA OR 
MARIHUANA. 
Wherever, in the statutes of the United States or in 
the rulings, regulations, or interpretations of various ad-
ministrative bureaus and agencies of the United States— 
(1) there appears or may appear the term ‘‘mar-
ihuana’’ or ‘‘marijuana’’, that term shall be struck 
and the term ‘‘cannabis’’ shall be inserted; and 
(2) there appears or may appear the term ‘‘Mar-
ihuana’’ or ‘‘Marijuana’’, that term shall be struck 
and the term ‘‘Cannabis’’ shall be inserted. 
SEC. 12. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act or an amendment made 
by this Act, or any application of such provision to any 
person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, the amendments made by this Act, 
and the application of this Act and the amendments made 
by this Act to any other person or circumstance shall not 
be affected. 
SEC. 13. CANNABIS OFFENSE DEFINED. 
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘cannabis offense’’ 
means a criminal offense related to cannabis— 
(1) that, under Federal law, is no longer punish-
able pursuant to this Act or the amendments made 
under this Act; or 
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(2) that, under State law, is no longer an offense 
or that was designated a lesser offense or for which 
the penalty was reduced under State law pursuant to 
or following the adoption of a State law authorizing 
the sale or use of cannabis. 
SEC. 14. RULEMAKING. 
Unless otherwise provided in this Act, not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Depart-
ment of the Treasury, the Department of Justice, and the 
Small Business Administration shall issue or amend any 
rules, standard operating procedures, and other legal or pol-
icy guidance necessary to carry out implementation of this 
Act. After the 1-year period, any publicly issued sub-regu-
latory guidance, including any compliance guides, manu-
als, advisories and notices, may not be issued without 60- 
day notice to appropriate congressional committees. Notice 
shall include a description and justification for additional 
guidance. 
SEC. 15. SOCIETAL IMPACT OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION 
STUDY. 
The Comptroller General of the United States shall, 
not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act, provide to Congress a study that addresses the societal 
impact of the legalization of recreational cannabis by 
States, including— 
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(1) sick days reported to employers; 
(2) workers compensations claims; 
(3) tax revenue remitted to States resulting from 
legal marijuana sales; 
(4) changes in government spending related to 
enforcement actions and court proceedings; 
(5) Federal welfare assistance applications; 
(6) rate of arrests related to methamphetamine 
possession; 
(7) hospitalization rates related to methamphet-
amine and narcotics use; 
(8) uses of marijuana and its byproducts for 
medical purposes; 
(9) uses of marijuana and its byproducts for 
purposes relating to the health, including the mental 
health, of veterans; 
(10) arrest rates of individuals driving under the 
influence or driving while intoxicated by marijuana; 
(11) traffic-related deaths and injuries where the 
driver is impaired by marijuana; 
(12) arrest of minors for marijuana-related 
charges; 
(13) violent crime rates; 
(14) school suspensions, expulsions, and law en-
forcement referrals that are marijuana-related; 
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(15) high school dropout rates; 
(16) changes in district-wide and State-wide 
standardized test scores; 
(17) marijuana-related hospital admissions and 
poison control calls; 
(18) marijuana-related juvenile admittances into 
substance rehabilitation facilities and mental health 
clinics; 
(19) diversion of marijuana into neighboring 
States and drug seizures in neighboring States; 
(20) marijuana plants grown on public lands in 
contravention to Federal and State laws; and 
(21) court filings under a State’s organized 
crime statutes. 
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