NJ Lawmakers Expected to Vote on Marijuana Legalization Soon

At 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 26, NJ State Senate and Assembly committees convened together to debate four bills focused on marijuana rules. Lawmakers will discuss a variety of proposals from taxation of marijuana sales to procedures to expunging existing marijuana convictions. It is expected that one or both committees will vote on the bills before convening.

The primary focus of the debate will be S2703, which would make recreational use of marijuana legal in the state. One major source of contention has been disagreements between Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Gov. Phil Murphy over how much to tax legal marijuana sales and how to oversee the new industry.

According to NJ.com, Sweeney and Murphy, both Democrats, still have not agreed on the bill, but Sweeney refuses to wait any longer. “We have been talking, and it’s time to move forward,” said Sweeney. “Hopefully, we can get to agreement with the governor.”

Sweeney is pushing for a 12% tax rate, plus 2% for municipalities that are willing to host cannabis-related businesses. Murphy and other legislators prefer a 25% tax.

Other bills up for debate on Monday include:

• S10, which would increase the monthly cap for medical marijuana patients to 3 ounces. It would also allow adults to purchase edible forms of cannabis.
• S2426, which requires the Department of Health to issue licenses for 34 new medical marijuana dispensaries (and six new medical marijuana cultivation facilities) within 90 days;
• S3205, which would update procedures for expungement of convictions for marijuana-related offenses. Additional details about the bill are unknown.

If you or someone you love has been charged with or convicted of a marijuana-related offense in New Jersey, contact an attorney right away. The lawyers of the Rosenblum Law are skilled criminal defense and expungement attorneys. Email Rosenblum Law or call 888-815-3649 today for a free consultation about your case.

Photo by Roberto Valdivia on Unsplash