New Jersey Lawmakers Kill Cannabis Legislation, Leaving It Up To Voters

New Jersey Lawmakers Kill Cannabis Legislation, Leaving It Up To Voters

On Monday, top Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey killed a bill that would have legalized recreational cannabis. The move marks the second time lawmakers have pulled the plug on legalization this year. Now, however, lawmakers are proposing to put the question of recreational legalization on the November 2020 ballot, leaving it up to voters. In a joint statement with Senator Nicholas Scutari, the lead sponsor of the cannabis legalization bill NJ S2703, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney said the legislation did not have enough votes to pass. Support for recreational legalization among lawmakers has dwindled in recent months, with some blaming Gov. Phil Murphy’s expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program for cooling support for full legalization. New Jersey Lawmakers Hand Off Legalization Efforts to Voters 2019 seemed like the year New Jersey would finally legalize recreational marijuana. In March, Gov. Murphy, who had campaigned on a social justice platform which included broad cannabis reform, announced that he had finally come to an agreement with legislative leaders on the broad outlines of legalization. After months of closed-door meetings and tough negotiations, Gov. Murphy finally got the adult-use legalization bill he’d wanted. Murphy and pro-legalization lawmakers, however, have had a…