{"id":65929,"date":"2023-06-13T12:42:08","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T20:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/06\/13\/indiana-lawmakers-will-study-marijuana-legalizations-possible-workforce-impact-in-legislative-interim\/"},"modified":"2023-06-14T19:47:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T03:47:07","slug":"indiana-lawmakers-will-study-marijuana-legalizations-possible-workforce-impact-in-legislative-interim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/06\/13\/indiana-lawmakers-will-study-marijuana-legalizations-possible-workforce-impact-in-legislative-interim\/","title":{"rendered":"Indiana Lawmakers Will Study Marijuana Legalization\u2019s Possible Workforce Impact In Legislative Interim"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s just an opportunity to continue to gather information on the topic. You\u2019re starting to see real data come out across states that have legalized that I think it\u2019s important to analyze and understand.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

By Whitney Downard, Indiana Capital Chronicle<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legislators will spend their interim break studying various topics of interest, including the impacts of cannabis legalization on the workforce and possible tax reform.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a good cross section of subjects that touch a lot of different areas of the state\u2019s business,\u201d GOP Senate Leader Rodric Bray said Tuesday. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Between legislative sessions, elected members spend time dedicated to specific topics and traditionally deliver reports to their colleagues summarizing their work alongside legislative proposals.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s interim committees inspired the\u00a0affordable housing measure\u00a0after several grueling meetings but others\u00a0barely convene at all.<\/p>\n

Priority committees for lawmakers<\/h4>\n

Bray identified the State and Local Tax Review Task Force as a committee of particular interest, which some senators hope will allow the state to further reduce the state\u2019s income tax and reform other forms of taxation.<\/p>\n

It will last two years instead of the traditional one.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re anxious to see where we can go,\u201d Bray, R-Martinsville, said. \u201c\u2026 see if we can make it more effective and make Indiana more competitive for businesses and also easier for people to live, work and play here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other topics include a review of crime trends, traffic fatalities and an analysis of the state\u2019s Medicaid reimbursement rates.<\/p>\n

Again, lawmakers will study the legalization of marijuana in the interim, this time with a focus on the impact on the workforce and teen use.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s just an opportunity to continue to gather information on the topic,\u201d House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said. \u201cYou\u2019re starting to see real data come out across states that have legalized that I think it\u2019s important to analyze and understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bipartisan efforts to decriminalize and legalize marijuana<\/a> have repeatedly failed to gain traction at the Statehouse, though last year a House committee chose to\u00a0hear testimony<\/a>\u00a0for the first time.<\/p>\n

Senate Democrat Leader Sen. Greg Taylor said the committee gave opposing lawmakers the chance to present their counterarguments for legalization with data to support it.<\/p>\n

\u201c[But] we can talk about the benefits and what may be the benefits to certain people,\u201d Taylor, D-Indianapolis, said, noting that other study topics included analyzing breakthrough therapies and veteran mental health.<\/p>\n

Veterans in the state have been\u00a0vocal advocates\u00a0for marijuana legalization in the state, with many saying it helps alleviate PTSD symptoms.<\/p>\n

One notable topic not receiving any interim assignments: education.<\/p>\n

Huston and Taylor indicated that no education issues won the majority vote required to become an interim study committee topic but said that members would still work on education issues on their own time.<\/p>\n

Members proposed more than 160 topics for considerations, with just 42 getting three votes from the General Assembly\u2019s four caucus leaders.<\/p>\n

Other topics include, but aren\u2019t limited to:<\/p>\n