New Hampshire’s Senate has put aside another marijuana legalization bill passed by the House, because Governor Chris Sununu predicts that lawmakers will consider a different plan to create a cannabis market run by the state that he supports now “next” year.
House lawmakers, however, are now considering pursuing compromise legislation that could be attached next week to an unrelated Senate Bill that would allow a combination state-operated cannabis shops and private licensed cannabis shops, while also allowing existing medical cannabis dispensaries serve the adult use market.
The Senate has not yet decided whether to accept the alternative proposal. It is expected that the House Committee will consider it in the next few days. However, senators voted 24-0 on Thursday to table the separate legalization bill from Kevin Verville. The Senate also voted to put aside a bill that would allow medical marijuana patients grow their own plants.
The mere fact that a bill is tabled does not mean it’s dead. The Senate can bring them up again if it wishes, but if the bill is not passed by the end session, the legislation will be defeated.
The Senate has voted to reject a bipartisan House legalization bill that was preferred by advocates.
After Gov. Chris Sununu’s (R) support for legalizing marijuana through state-operated shops was announced last week. However, some people like House Majority leader Jason Osborne suggested that this reform could be achieved by amending the non-commercial cannabis bill on the Senate floor.
Some were sceptical, saying that it would be realistic to bring the state-run idea of reform back in 2024. Senate President Jeb Bradley (R), who is a strong opponent of legalization, stated last week that it would be better for proponents to bring back a bill next year and to thoroughly vet it with public hearings.
The governor said InDepthNH he has spoken to Bradley about this issue, since he backed legalization. He also believes that “it will come up next” year.
Last year, a bill passed by the House to legalize the state model and an earlier bill was defeated unanimously in the Senate. This raised additional questions regarding the measure’s prospects.
Sen. Tim Lang, R., who is one three new GOP senators that supported the state-run bill during the last session when he was in the House of Representatives said that the reform shouldn’t be “rapidly advanced” and that certain issues with the previous state-run measure “still need to covered.”
He said the bill was a “great start for us.” “I don’t expect we’ll get it done in this session but we will this term.”
House lawmakers may try to challenge this timeline in their latest compromise attempt.
A bill in the House Commerce Committee, which is unrelated and concerns delinquent alcohol licensee payments, could be amended so that it includes a hybridized proposal for cannabis legalization.
The amendment by Chairman John Hunt (R) will be discussed on Wednesday in committee. It puts state-run shops at the forefront. However, regulators could also issue licenses for private individuals to run stores on a seasonally or annually basis.
Existing medical marijuana dispensaries could receive dual licenses, allowing them serve both patients and adult customers. This was one of the key components of the House’s legalization bill, which the Senate rejected last Thursday.
The amendment will not allow home cultivation. Cannabis products would not be subject to tax.
The penalties for smoking in public places would be increased. And it further calls for municipal votes in November 2024 for cities that wish to opt in to allowing “cannabis establishments”–though that definition in the bill doesn’t include retailers.
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Advocates and stakeholders expressed concern about the prospect of a state controlled cannabis model. They preferred a more traditional market, like the one sponsored by the House majority leaders and minorities.
The Senate’s home-grow bill, which was introduced on Thursday, would allow designated caregivers and patients to grow up to 12 seedlings and three mature plants.
The Senate defeated a similar bill last year.
After the Senate rejected reform legislation in 2022 the House included legalization as an amendment to separate criminal-justice-related legislation, but this was also rejected in the opposing chamber.
A survey finds that one in four young adults say federal marijuana employment policies prevent them from applying for government jobs
Photo by Mike Latimer.
The article New Hampshire Senate introduces marijuana legalization bill as new compromise emerges in the House first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
