2020 Election

New Jersey Voters Will Decide On Recreational Marijuana Legalization In 2020

Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey abandoned legislation to legalize recreational cannabis sales for the second time this year.

Instead, lawmakers introduced a resolution on Monday to allow the voters to decide. They want to put the question on the November 2020 presidential election ballot – should the state of New Jersey legalize recreational marijuana?

 


 

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Ballot initiative requires that both houses of the state Legislature pass the resolution by either three-fifths majority in one year or simple majorities in consecutive years.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D) announced on Monday that while they had “made further attempts to generate additional support in the Senate to get this done legislatively,” the “votes just aren’t there.” Scutari was the lead sponsor of the cannabis legalization bill, NJ S2703 (18R), in the upper house.

Three hours before the November 2020 voter ballot announcement on Monday, Scutari held a press conference with Assemblyman Jamel Holley and pro-marijuana groups to demand action on the legal recreational use bill. “The time is now for action,” Scutari stated, citing 2017 arrest data, which depicted large racial gaps in marijuana arrests. “We’re closer than we’ve ever been before,” he added. But the state was not close enough – right after the press conference ended, the Senate Majority Office released his joint statement with Sweeney, stating the time gap for immediate action has passed.

The legislation would provide lawmakers with flexibility that changing the State Constitution does not allow. However, if the proposal to amend the state constitution is approved in 2020, New Jersey would join the District of Columbia and 11 other states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

The initiative calls for legalizing the drug for adults aged 21 or older. The state of New Jersey’s medical marijuana commission would be required to oversee the new market. In addition, marijuana sales would be subject to the state’s 6.625 percent sales tax.

Emily Bevacqua

Recent Posts

Harris Trolls Trump For Failure To Release His Medical Records

Vice President Kamala Harris recently released her medical records and dared former President Donald Trump to do the same.…

31 mins ago

VIDEO: Nicky Jam Withdraws Trump Endorsement Following Puerto Rico ‘Garbage’ Comment

https://youtu.be/wEWjxbqwPQs Singer Nicky Jam withdrew his support for former President Donald Trump on Oct. 30,…

39 mins ago

Democrats Attack Green Party Nominee Jill Stein In New Ad

A new ad about Green Party candidate Jill Stein has been released by Vice President Kamala Harris'…

17 hours ago

Jennifer Lopez Says Trump ‘Offended Every Latino In The Country’ With MSG Joke At Harris Rally

https://youtu.be/inbJpo6D4BQ Jennifer Lopez, campaigning with Kamala Harris on Oct. 31 in Nevada, said Donald Trump’s…

17 hours ago

Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn Says ‘Gates Of Hell’ Will Be Opened On Opponents If Trump Is Reelected

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn declared that the "gates of hell" would be unleashed if former…

2 days ago

VIDEO: Kamala Harris Hugs First Person In Line For Her Ellipse Rally, Chats With Her Mom

https://youtu.be/JQCdk-71tG0 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris met with the woman who was the first in…

2 days ago