Senator Ronald L. Rice today released the following statement regarding Senate President Steve Sweeney’s announcement to move forward with legislation that will expunge marijuana-related criminal records and expand New Jersey’s medical marijuana program.
Murphy, at an unrelated press conference, rejected that premise.
“I reject being blamed for trying to help citizens out who have nowhere else to turn, whose lives are at stake or quality of life is a stake,” he said during the presser. “I wouldn’t call that blame. This is my responsibility as governor.”
One of the more significant aspects of the bill were its proposals for expedited expungement and reinvestment in communities with disproportionate cannabis arrests rates. Can you further explain how those would work?
Wednesday marks the beginning of May, which means there’s only a month to go if state leaders want to realize their latest hope of passing a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey before the full frenzy of state budget season rolls around.
So what are the chances a vote will happen over the next 31 days? State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, New Jersey’s highest-ranking state lawmaker, pegs it at “50/50.”
On March 25, legislators were set to vote on S-2703, which would legalize the adult use of recreational cannabis. However, after it appeared that there were not enough votes to approve the bill, legislative leaders called off the vote. While no vote took place as intended, Governor Murphy continues to make a push for marijuana legalization. And, reports have the Governor setting a May deadline for a vote on recreational cannabis before he takes executive action to expand medical use.
As New Jersey’s leaders aim to pass a bill by the end of next month to legalize marijuana in the state, they’re grappling with a damned-if-they-do, damned-if-they-don’t dilemma that’s threatening their efforts.
After more than a year of debate and wrangling, Gov. Phil Murphy and his fellow top Democrats remain a few votes short of the number they need to pass the measure — a cornerstone of Murphy’s agenda — in the state Legislature.
Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney Stephanie Morales says her office will no longer prosecute possession of marijuana cases in the Portsmouth General District Court.
In a letter Morales sent to the judges earlier this week, she says the policy change is effective immediately and that all cases would be dismissed with the payment of court costs.
Morales tells 10 On Your Side she started having conversations with judges in March, and they are on board with dismissing the charges.
Widowed and left to raise her two children alone, Jo Anne Zito needed a decent second job to help make ends meet. But twice in 2016 she missed out on gigs after potential employers learned she’d been busted for pot years earlier.
"Once you're in that criminalized zone, it's pretty hard to get out," Zito told Cheddar.
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.
I'm not too concerned with when it's legalized, so much as if/how many plants we will be able to grow for personal use. I already have a whole indoor grow setup I'm using for just regular gardening. (Alex H.)
Alex, you'll probably be waiting a while.