New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has set a deadline for Friday to reach an agreement with legislative leaders on cannabis legalization and decriminalization legislation that was sent to his desk last month.
Murphy has objected to inconsistent language in both bills that eliminated penalties for underage individuals caught in possession of the drug. If the administration hasn’t brokered a compromise on a clean-up bill before Friday, the governor plans to conditionally veto the measure.
“The talks are still fluid and there’s an open line of communication there. The governor’s line is open and he’s willing to keep that line open until that deadline,” an administration official told POLITICO on Wednesday morning.
Technically, Murphy has until Feb. 8 to act on the decriminalization and legalization bills, at which point both would become law with or without his signature. The administration has repeatedly indicated that won’t happen.
“Nobody has ever, including yours truly, spoken about legalizing marijuana, recreational marijuana for kids,” Murphy said earlier this month. “That's never been in the cards.”