Senate President Steve Sweeney and State Sen. Nicholas Scutari announced they would introduce a bill to put recreational marijuana on the 2020 ballot Monday.
“We are moving forward with a plan to seek voter approval to legalize adult use marijuana in New Jersey,” the two said in a joint statement. “We introduced legislation today to authorize a public referendum for a proposal that will lead to the creation of a system that allows adults to purchase and use marijuana for recreational purposes in a responsible way.”
A spokesman for Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said the legislature’s lower chamber was on board with the Senate’s announcement.
The announcement is likely the final nail in the coffin for lawmaker’s hopes to legalize through legislative action rather than referendum.
A legalization effort was scuttled earlier this year after Democrats failed to whip enough votes to pass the measure in the Senate.