Chicago Mayor and former Chief of Staff for President Obama Rahm Emanuel (D) has asked the city council to pass a law decriminalizing simple possession of marijuana. From the Chicago Tribune.

Late Wednesday night the Connecticut House of Representatives approved CT HB 5289, a bill that would legalize and regulate the use of medical marijuana under state law.

With today being the unofficial holiday for cannabis in the United States, it is a good time to look back at the advances the marijuana reform movement has made in the past 365 days.

An incredible 68 percent of Connecticut voters support allowing adults to use marijuana for medical purposes if they get a doctor’s recommendation. According to Quinnipiac polling, only 27 percent of voters in the state oppose the medical marijuana law currently pending before the state legislature. If the bill passes, the Democratic Governor has expressed support for legalization in the past.

There is a decent chance that Connecticut will finally approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes this year. Yesterday Connecticut House Bill 5389 received a public hearing in the state House Judiciary Committee and many of the law’s sponsors think it has a good chance of being approved this year.

This piece of marijuana reform wouldn’t have passed without the direct advocacy of Gov. Malloy. The law only barely cleared the State Senate with Malloy’s Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman forced to cast the tie breaking vote in favor of the legislation.

Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed a law approving the use of medical marijuana. His signature makes Delaware the 16th state (plus Washington, DC) to approve the medical use of marijuana.

It looks like the possibility of a strong, state-based public option in Connecticut has been kiledl by the state’s top Democrats, lead by Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy.