California.  (April 19, 2010). The Ammiano bill has been refiled in the legislature as AB2254, but all eyes currently are on this November's initiative. If enacted, everything will change.

The Ammiano bill, AB 390, to regulate and tax the cannabis industry, was heard on October 28, at which time a representative of the Board of Equalization provided the foundation for the Board's estimate that legal cannabis would produce aproximately $1.4 billion in  new revenue for the state. The bill is dead for this session, but Rep. Ammiano has said he may re-introduce it, depending on on what happens in November (below).

Additionally, four legalization initiatives are working their way toward the ballot for November 2010. Three have been certified by the Secretary of State's office to start collecting signatures. If at least one of them passes,  and the state or localities start collecting significant tax revenue, prohibition (in my opinion) will fall like the Berlin Wall.

As March 25, 2010, one of them, the Lee initiative (a local-option measure) has been certified by the Secretary of State to appear on the ballot in November of 2010.

The Lee Initiative is a local-option initiative, that is, instead of setting up a statewide system of regulation taxation, such as the Massachusetts bills, it allows individual cities and counties at their option to regulate and tax cannabis production, distribution, and sales... and keep the revenue... while Sacramento watches.

For lots more on California, go to the dedicated pages.

Colorado amended its state constitution to allow medical marjnana in  2000, permiting possession and cultivation of marijuana by  patients and caregivers. Dispensaries have proliferated, with varying levels of welcome. A vibrant organization, Sensible Colorado, is providing the leadership to get a tax and regulate initiative on the November, 2012, ballot.   An article in the Denver Westword on November 25, 2009, describes the notable efforts of Mason Tvert and Brian Vicente. 

And, Colorado is where municipalities are being heard: both Denver and Breckenridge have voted to repeal their local prohibition laws, and others are not far behind.

Nederland did it in early April, 2010.

A legalization initiative is said to be in the works for 2012.

Massachusetts news is in a separate section. 

Nevada.  Attempts were made in 2002 and 2006 to tax and regulate cannabis by initiative, but neither gained sufficient votes. A tax and regulate initiative is in the works for the 2012 balllot, organized by Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws.  The exact language of the initiative is expected to be filed with the Secretary of State in January, 2010. Organizers need to collect 97,002 signatures by November 2010 to qualify for the 2012 ballot. That presumes the legislature doesn't act in 2011.

New Hampshire. A regulation and taxation bill has been filed for the 2010 session. As with the bill in Massachusetts, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Oregon. Two initiatives have been submitted to the Secretary of State's office for official ballot titles, and then the organizers will start collecting signatures. The two initiatives are the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, and the Oregon Cannabis Tolerance Act.  The latter is described by organizers as a "backup" to the former.

Rhode Island.  In June of 2009, the Rhode Island Senate adopted S 1032, a resolution creating a special senate commission to study the prohbition of mariuana. The Commission is charged with making a comprehensive study, and issue findings, about the wisdom and effficacy of prohibition, in particular whether the prohibition laws accomplish their ostensible goals, namely, the curbing of abuse, especially among young people, the protection of public health and safety, and the eradication of the crime and violence associated with illicit trafficking.  A final report is expected by January 31, 2010.  The Commission's findings will provide a basis for serious policy reform in that state, and elsewhere. Significantly, the Commission contains attorneys, medical professionals and academics, and not law enforcement officials. More here and here.

In February, 2010, a regulation and taxation bill was filled in the legislature, H 7638.  More here. And here is a website dedicated to marijuana reform in Rhode Island. The hearing on H7638 occured on April 15.

Washington. A tax and regulate bill was filed for the 2010 legislative session, and taken up by the Public Safety Committee on January 19, where it was defeated by a vote of 6-2.  However, a remarkable initiative may well be on the November 2010 ballot, sponsored by Sensible Washington. What's remarkable about the initiative is that it is what is known as a "cession" law, as it merely repeals the state prohibition laws and replaces them with nothing, thus ceding full responsibility of prohibition enforcement to federal authorities, just like the Curvillier bill in New York State did in 1923 with regard to alcohol. Technically the new law, if passed by the voters, would not legalize marijuana, as it would remain illegal under federal law. To qualify for the ballot, the organizers must submit 241,153 valid signatures to the Secretary of State by July 2, 2010.

Here's an update from April 20, 2010. Another of May 18, 2010. May 24.

A new poll puts support for legalization in Washington at 52%!