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With just hours left to go in Connecticut\u2019s regular legislative session, House lawmakers on Wednesday decided to delay a planned vote on legalizing marijuana in the state. The proposal, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday<\/a>, will be taken up again during a special session by the end of the month.<\/p>\n Earlier in the day, House Speaker Matt Ritter (D) had said the chamber could still take up the legislation before the midnight deadline on the current session, but left open the possibility it might not happen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will be voting in the next week on that bill,\u201d he said during a press briefing Wednesday morning. \u201cCould be today, could be tomorrow, could be Friday, could be Saturday, could be Sunday\u2014we will be getting that bill passed.\u201d<\/p>\n Democratic leaders have insisted they have the votes<\/a> to push through the nearly 300-page cannabis bill introduced over the weekend<\/a>, but Republicans have broadly opposed it. Many expected a drawn-out debate Wednesday night, with GOP representatives trying to run out the clock to prevent a vote.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to have an honest, robust debate on a complicated topic,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cThe concern of my caucus is, is it four or five people that never want to stop?\u201d<\/p>\n By mid-afternoon, Ritter had announced that the bill wouldn\u2019t be called at all on Wednesday. Instead, legalization will be taken up again during a special legislative session, which is not yet scheduled but will take place before the fiscal year ends on June 30<\/a>. The current bill will technically die at midnight on Wednesday, meaning a new legislative vehicle will have to clear both chambers during the special session.<\/p>\n #BREAKING<\/a> Legal marijuana will NOT be voted on today, according to House Speaker Matt Ritter. Will be pushed to a special session in the next two weeks pic.twitter.com\/EcCz8JpCXA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John Craven (@johncraven1) June 9, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n House Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D) will be coordinating any changes to the bill between now and then, Ritter said.<\/p>\n At Monday\u2019s briefing, Rojas said he\u2019s open to working with Republicans but is unlikely to amend the bill itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI know they\u2019re concerned about how late the bill came out. I guess I would share my concern about how late they chose to come to the table,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m still willing to listen and consider some of the changes they might make. I don\u2019t know that we would amend the bill necessarily, but we\u2019d find another vehicle to potentially accommodate some of the requests.\u201d<\/p>\n Groups in favor of cannabis legalization downplayed the delay. DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative counsel for Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment that the group is \u201cencouraged that legislative leadership is committed to getting the bill done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019d hoped the bill would be past the finish line during the regular session, voting a few days later will in no way delay legalization,\u201d he said. \u201cLegal possession will start on July 1 whether the bill passes today or a little later.\u201d<\/p>\n Ward also noted that, if the policy change is adopted, Connecticut would be the third state to pass legalization during a special session this year, after New Mexico and Virginia. \u201cWe\u2019re glad legislatures are recognizing that this long overdue reform is worth working overtime to get done and get done right,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The current bill, Senate Bill 1118<\/a>, is the product of weeks of negotiations<\/a> between legislative leaders and Gov. Ned Lamont\u2019s (D) office. It incorporates elements of Lamont\u2019s own proposal, SB 888, as well as an equity-focused legalization bill, HB 6377, from Rep. Robyn Porter (D).<\/p>\n As passed by the Senate, the legislation would legalize personal possession and use of cannabis by adults 21 and older and eventually launch a regulated commercial cannabis market in Connecticut, licensing growers, retailers, manufacturers and delivery services. The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) would be in charge of licensing and regulating cannabis businesses, with legal sales expected to begin in mid-2022.<\/p>\n Half of all business licenses would need to be issued to social equity applicants, defined as people who have lived in geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs and who make no more than three times the state\u2019s median income. Those applicants could also qualify for technical assistance, workforce training and funding to cover startup costs. Much of the revenue from the new commercial market would be reinvested back into communities hit hardest by the drug war.<\/p>\n For those who don\u2019t want to buy cannabis commercially, home cultivation would also be allowed under the bill\u2014first for medical patients, then eventually for all adults 21 and older.<\/p>\n Here are some key details about the Senate-approved legislation:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Senate adopted one amendment to the bill before passing it on Tuesday that makes a number of substantial and technical changes. Among other revisions, it deletes a section that would have allowed backers of marijuana producers to obtain cultivation licenses without being subject to a lottery and clarifies that a higher percentage of equity joint-venture owners be from disproportionately impacted areas. It also expands equity provisions of the bill so that 100 percent of profits with joint ventures with existing businesses go to equity partners, rather than the 5 percent in the original bill, and exempts medical marijuana from potency limits that apply to adult-use products.<\/p>\n A fiscal note<\/a> on bill projects that taxes and fees for marijuana would bring in an estimated $4.1 million in additional revenue for the state and municipalities in fiscal year 2022, which would grow over time to a projected annual haul of $73.4 million by fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n Connecticut can legalize marijuana TODAY, but a few Republicans might block it.<\/p>\n “House Republicans signaled Tuesday they were prepared to launch a lengthy fight against a cannabis legalization bill passed by the Senate”https:\/\/t.co\/yUfJ2aYyoP<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Connecticut Dems (@CTDems) June 9, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Republicans, however, have warned that legalization would cause problems for law enforcement, create public health hazards and risk normalizing youth cannabis use. GOP lawmakers in the House, including Rep. Vincent Candelora, have also criticized the bill after noticing a provision, since removed, that would allow a grower to bypass the state\u2019s lottery licensing system.<\/p>\n Republicans have also blasted what they\u2019ve said are severe public health risks from legalization. \u201cWe\u2019re legitimizing a highly potent, mind-altering drug to collect our little piece of gold that we may get from it,\u201d Sen. Heather Somers (R) said Monday on the Senate floor. \u201cThis bill may generate $80 million in revenue, but the costs will well outstrip any kind of revenue we\u2019ll see come in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 If a legalization measure isn\u2019t enacted this year, Lamont said last month that the issue could ultimately go before voters.<\/p>\n \u201cMarijuana is sort of interesting to me. When it goes to a vote of the people through some sort of a referendum, it passes overwhelmingly. When it goes through a legislature and a lot of telephone calls are made, it\u2019s slim or doesn\u2019t pass,\u201d the governor said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to do it through the legislature. Folks are elected to make a decision, and we\u2019ll see where it goes. If it doesn\u2019t, we\u2019ll probably end up in a referendum.\u201d<\/p>\n Ritter said late last month that he feels there\u2019s a\u00a057-43 chance that the legislation is approved<\/a>, whereas he\u00a0previously gave it a 50-50 chance<\/a>.<\/p>\n He last year that if the legislature isn\u2019t able to pass a legalization bill, he will move to put\u00a0a question on the state\u2019s 2022 ballot that would leave the matter to voters<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to recent polling, if legalization did go before voters, it would pass.<\/p>\n Sixty-four percent of residents in the state favor legalizing cannabis for adult use, according to a survey from Sacred Heart University that was released last week.<\/p>\n The competing legalization measure from Rep. Robyn Porter (D), which is favored by many legalization advocates for its focus on social equity, was\u00a0approved in the Labor and Public Employees Committee<\/a>\u00a0in March.<\/p>\n Lamont, who convened an informal work group in recent months to\u00a0make recommendations on the policy change<\/a>, initially described his legalization plan as a \u201ccomprehensive framework for the cultivation, manufacture, sale, possession, use, and taxation of cannabis that prioritizes public health, public safety, and social justice.\u201d<\/p>\n But while advocates have strongly criticized the governor\u2019s plan as inadequate when it comes to equity provisions, Ritter said in March that\u00a0\u201coptimism abounds\u201d as lawmakers work to merge proposals<\/a>\u00a0into a final legalization bill.<\/p>\n Rojas also said that \u201cin principle, equity is important to both the administration and the legislature, and we\u2019re going to work through those details.\u201d<\/p>\n To that end, the majority leader said that working groups have been formed in the Democratic caucuses of the legislature to go through the governor\u2019s proposal and the committee-approved reform bill.<\/p>\n In February, a Lamont administration official stressed during a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee that Lamont\u2019s proposal it is \u201cnot a final bill,\u201d and\u00a0they want activists \u201cat the table\u201d<\/a>\u00a0to further inform the legislation.<\/p>\n The legislature has considered legalization proposals on several occasions in recent years, including a bill that Democrats\u00a0introduced last year on the governor\u2019s behalf<\/a>. Those bills stalled, however.<\/p>\n Lamont\u00a0reiterated his support for legalizing marijuana<\/a>\u00a0during his annual State of the State address in January, stating that he would be working with the legislature to advance the reform this session.<\/p>\n The governor has compared the\u00a0need for regional coordination on marijuana policy<\/a>\u00a0to the coronavirus response, stating that officials have \u201cgot to think regionally when it comes to how we deal with the pandemic\u2014and I think we have to think regionally when it comes to marijuana, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said that legalization in Connecticut could\u00a0potentially reduce the spread of COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0by limiting out-of-state trips to purchase legal cannabis in neighboring states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey.<\/p>\n Connecticut Governor Signs Psychedelics Study Measure As He Awaits Marijuana Legalization Bill<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The post Connecticut Lawmakers Delay Marijuana Legalization Vote To Special Session<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
With just hours left to go in Connecticut\u2019s regular legislative session, House lawmakers on Wednesday decided to delay a planned vote on legalizing marijuana in the state. The proposal, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday, will be taken up again during a special session by the end of theContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":48160,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48159"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48159"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48161,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48159\/revisions\/48161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: Connecticut Lawmakers Delay Marijuana Legalization Vote To Special Session<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"