On Aug. 14, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, will be awarded the 2015 Seattle Hempfest Excellence in Cannabis Activism Award at Seattle’s Hempfest festival.

Kohl-Welles is recognized as a tireless advocate for medical marijuana patients statewide. This legislative session she sponsored numerous bills relating to marijuana reform including the Comprehensive Marijuana Reform Act, legislation designed to streamline the newly enacted I-502 system, maintain and improve access to medical marijuana for patients, and improve public safety and law enforcement efficiency.

In addition, Kohl-Welles sponsored a bill that has been signed into law creating a marijuana research license for the production and possession of marijuana for research purposes. Another bill she sponsored would ease regulations surrounding cannabis health and beauty aids. It has been amended onto a bill sponsored by Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, that has yet to be passed by the Legislature.