A package of bills aimed at legalizing marijuana for recreational use in New Jersey cleared Assembly and Senate committees Monday night after a long day in which legislators and staffers scrambled to amend earlier drafts of the bill before getting to the committees for a vote.
You'll be able to have it delivered to your home. If you have a prior bust, it would likely be expunged. And you could get a job even if you still have a marijuana offense on your record.
New Jersey is offering a lot more than you might expect if – or once – marijuana becomes legal in the state by the end of the month, according to a new draft of the bill provided to Patch.
And lawmakers are also establishing a bunch of parameters, too. Patch has a list of 16 things you need to know below.
$42: THE ANSWER TO THE ULTIMATE QUESTION TO LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING — Lawmakers finalize work on marijuana bill: State lawmakers have finalized a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey and open up new ways for former offenders to clear their record of old offenses, according to a copy of the measure obtained by POLITICO. The new draft features language that outlines the agreement struck by Gov. Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, including the $42 per ounce tax on cannabis cultivators.
The new draft of the 163-page "New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act" spells out all the details of a possible new marijuana industry: everything from the types of ingredients that must be listed on the packaging of cannabis products sold in the Garden State, to the salaries of the five commissioners who would be charged with overseeing the industry if the bill gets the General Assembly's approval. (Up to $141,000 for the chair, and up to $125,000 for each of the other four commissioners.)
If everything goes off without a hitch, it could be a boon for marijuana businesses and the state's tax coffers. The proposed bill includes a $42-per-ounce tax on marijuana, and it allows towns to collect a 3% tax from cannabis retailers, a 2% tax from cultivators, and a 1% tax from wholesalers. GreenWave's Karnes estimates New Jersey's medical marijuana sales were just $66 million in 2018, but legalization of recreational use could grow regulated marijuana sales to $750 million next year and to over $930 million in 2022.
The New Jersey marijuana legalization bill has gone through numerous changes since it was first introduced nearly two years ago.
But on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy and top legislators announced an agreement on marijuana legalization that includes an amended bill. Now, New Jersey could be on a path toward legal weed as soon as later this month.
Here are the highlights of what's in — and what's been left out of — the bill to legalize marijuana in New Jersey
If the deal becomes law, New Jersey would join 10 other states and the District of Columbia with legal adult-use cannabis. It could also attract a flock of visitors from neighboring New York, where lawmakers are considering adult-use legalization but appear increasingly likely to miss a key legislative deadline and be forced to return to the issue next year.
In neighboring New Jersey, top lawmakers announced early Tuesday that they have reached a deal on legalization after months of talks and negotiations. The details are expected to be released in the coming days, according to media reports. Gov. Phil Murphy said a vote will be held on March 25 for both houses to approve the bill, paving the way for him to sign it into law.
“Legalizing adult-use marijuana is a monumental step to reducing disparities in our criminal justice system,” Murphy said in a statement.
The deal calls for a $42 per ounce tax and entitles towns to collect tax revenue, as well. Municipalities with cannabis retailers could collect 3 percent tax, those with cultivators will collect 2 percent and those with wholesalers would get 1 percent.
The measure calls for a five-member regulatory commission.
After more than a year of negotiations, Gov. Phil Murphy and legislative leaders have reached a final deal on New Jersey marijuana legalization. A vote to legalize weed in the Garden State could come later this month.