NJ Marijuana Bill Passes Second Big Test

Lawmakers have again renewed efforts to make big changes in how marijuana is used in New Jersey, and one bill passed its second test on Thursday.

The state Senate voted 33-4 to vastly expand New Jersey's medical marijuana program on Thursday. The state Assembly approved the same legislation last week by a 65-5 vote.

Now the bill should eventually go to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk so he can sign it – or veto it. First, the Assembly must vote on an amendment that would guarantee cannabis workers the right to unionize.

The four in the Assembly who opposed were all Republicans: James Holzapfel, R-Ocean; Joseph Pennacchio, R-Morris; Michael Doherty, R-Warren; and Chris Connors, R-Ocean.

The five in the Assembly who opposed were all Republicans: Erik Peterson, R-Hunterdon; DiAnne C. Gove and Brian E. Rumpf, both R-Ocean; Amy H. Handlin, R-Monmouth; and Jay Webber, R-Morris.

Another bill that would revise procedures and eligibility for the expungement of criminal records – including marijuana busts – also recently cleared the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.

It did not come up for an Assembly vote last week, but the Senate did schedule a vote on Thursday. Its status was unclear at press time..

Another Assembly bill, A-5325, would essentially decriminalize marijuana. Anyone possessing up to two ounces of marijuana would be subject to a civil penalty of $50. Right now, possession of a small amount of marijuana is a fourth-degree crime that could land somebody in prison for up to 18 months and force them to pay a $10,000 fine.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, however, said that bill has no chance of passing.

Top lawmakers announced two weeks that they're dropping legislative efforts to legalize marijuana in New Jersey. Now they'll ask voters in November 2020 refererndum to legalize recreational pot, Senate President Steve Sweeney announced. Read more: NJ Marijuana Legalization Bill Is Dead: Voters Will Decide

The medical marijuana bill would transform what was one of the more restrictive medical marijuana programs in the country into one that is accessible, affordable and better serves the needs of patients, lawmakers said.

The bill, S-10, would allow medical use for a more extensive list of diagnosed conditions, increase the number of dispensaries and expand the list of professionals who can authorize patients for the medical use of cannabis, lawmakers say.

The bill also would increase access to caregivers, increase the amount of medical cannabis that patients could obtain and end the state tax on cannabis used for medicinal purposes on Jan. 1, 2025. It would also establish a five member Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

The bill is sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale, the chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee; and Senator Nicholas Scutari, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“This will entirely reform the way New Jersey manages medical marijuana in the state. Marijuana has proven to be a safe and effective treatment of a large variety of ailments, from chronic pain to migraines. This bill will help those in need by removing barriers to access for patients, it gives doctors and other caregivers the ability to make use of the medicinal qualities of cannabis and will make these important products more affordable,” said Vitale, D-Middlesex. “The current restrictions are unreasonable and it is time health care providers are able to offer their patients these effective, often safer, treatments.”

The expungement bill, S-3205, would expand the categories of people eligible, and an expungement request could proceed once the individual met certain time period requirements.

The bill would establish a “clean slate” which would allow individuals not otherwise eligible for an expungement to file an application after 10 years from the date they were released, completed probation or completed parole, whichever came last, lawmakers say.

Under the bill, those who were still working to pay off fines would be eligible and the collections would be transferred to the state treasurer.

The legislation is sponsored by Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham, Senator M. Teresa Ruiz and Sweeney.

“We must reform our criminal justice system and gear it towards rehabilitation, to do that we must ensure those who have gone through the system are given a fair shot when they get out,” said Cunningham, D-Hudson. “Far too many Americans spend the rest of their life fighting the stigma around their conviction, hindering their ability to find a place to live or get a job. Expanding the eligibility for expungement will allow more individuals to remove that stigma and break down those barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential.”