As state lawmakers begin their final meetings of this year’s legislative session, there was hope the senate might revisit marijuana legalization. State Senate President Steve Sweeney told NJ.com before the Nov. 5 elections that he would try to wrangle enough votes to pass a legal weed bill, but it appears those efforts are already falling short and prospects for a vote before a new legislature is seated in January are dim.
Sweeney came up at least two votes shy of the 21 needed to pass the bill in his house earlier this year. There was opposition from both Republicans and Sweeney’s own Democratic caucus. The Senate president believes this is both an emotional and generational issue, and conceded he can only push his fellow senators so far. He does, however, remain 100% committed to legalization, telling me, “it will be done, just not as quickly as many would like.”
The most likely scenario remains putting the issue to a public vote. The easiest path to putting a legalization referendum on the ballot for the 2020 election would be for the legislature to authorize it by a simple majority (50% plus one) in two consecutive years. That means a successful vote would need to be taken this year, and another successful vote after January, to ensure inclusion on the ballot. If a vote fails this year, a special super-majority vote would be needed next year, requiring 60% support in both the Senate and Assembly.
Comments
Ii hope we get it Legal soon
Ii hope we get it Legal soon
John
We need Legal Cannabis here
We need Legal Cannabis here in New Jersey and More Dispensaries
John