Yes, NJ Marijuana Legalization Vote Could Be Delayed: Here's Why

Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey lawmakers finally had a date in mind for passing what could be the biggest legislation in years: marijuana legalization. But will it happen?

Lawmakers are starting to hedge their bets a little now that investigations into an alleged sex assault committed by a former Murphy staffer have been launched.

Lawmakers privately told nj.com they believe it's possible the work required to launch the investigations could push back the marijuana bill, which they planned to vote on by Oct. 29.

Publicly, Murphy himself probably came the closest to addressing a possible delay caused by the investigations, telling reporters during his trip to Germany that New Jersey needs to become "a better place for survivors of awful sexual assault."

Murphy said he hopes lawmakers can multitask and address important legislative priorities while also conducting an investigtion, but "I can’t think of a higher calling right now, or a higher priority" than addressing issues of sexual assault.

"It can’t be at the expense of this," he said, according to an account from ROI-NJ. It’s too important.”

Senate President Steve Sweeney announced this week the creation of a special Senate committee to investigate the handling of the sexual assault allegations against a former high-level state official, while also examining government hiring practices and background checks.

The six-member, bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Investigation will examine the hiring practices and background checks by the government to determine what reforms are needed to prevent abusers from escaping accountability. The committee will also conduct a review of systemic problems so that survivors can trust in the ability to achieve justice.

Earlier this week, Murphy said he, too, was launching an investigation into a woman's claims that she was raped by a top staffer – yet the man still found a way to get a job in the Murphy administration.

"I wish we never made the hire in transition," Murphy said during a press conference on Monday. "I'm sick to my stomach."

Murphy said former Supreme Court Justice Peter Venerio will run the investigation now that lawmakers have called for hearings since the woman has gone public with the details of her rape allegations. The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is also now investigating the case, state officials said.

The details of the alleged sex assault were provided by Katie Brennan in a The Wall Street Journal report this weekend. Brennan, who volunteered for the Murphy campaign last year and is now the chief of staff at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, has accused Albert J. Alvarez of sexual assault.

Alvarez, 44, of Wood-Ridge was hired as the chief of staff for the Schools Development Authority even though, according to published reports, he was accused of sexual assault while serving on the governor's campaign.

While the investigations into Brennan's claims begin, Murphy's spokespeople provided an additional statement to Patch saying that the administration remains committed to addressing marijuana legalization as soon as possible. They did not address how the investigations may impact the vote.

“Governor Murphy remains committed to legalizing adult-use marijuana, a critical step in eliminating racial disparities in our criminal justice system," according to the statement. "The governor is committed to working with the Legislature to legalize adult-use marijuana the right way, one that makes the state fairer, prioritizes the safety of New Jersey residents, and ensures that some of the economic benefits go the communities hardest hit by the war on drugs.”

Sweeney's office also declined to provide additional comment to Patch.

Murphy and lawmakers have been looking at Oct 29 as the day the state Legislature should pass a bill legalizing marijuana in New Jersey. It's not clear if the governor would actually sign it that day, or right afterward.

Murphy was asked about marijuana legalization during a recent Facebook live interview, and he told the audience that he's looking at signing something "sooner than later."

"We've had good exchanges with both the legislative leadership sponsors and, most importantly, the teams in the trenches crafting this," Murphy said. "I think it's sooner than later."

He also said that, based the tenor of the discussions and the give-and-take between the Murphy administration and lawmakers, Oct. 29 "feels about right."

Murphy said there will be several pieces to the legislation, including expansion of the medical marijuana program. The "biggest mountain to climb," he said, will be legalizing the drug for recreational use.

What could also stand in the way is that Democratic leaders in the state Legislature are standing by a 12 percent tax on recreational marijuana. The tax is controversial, and some legislative debate over it could delay the passage date.

Sweeney said he'll go no higher than a 12 percent on recreational marijuana, endorsing the rate pushed by state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Middlesex, Somerset and Union.

Just don't expect pot to be sold in stores right away.

Kate Bell, legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington D.C., told nj.com that the regulatory and licensing process could take another six months after the legislation is passed. That schedule could move a lot more quickly if medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to meet the demand.

Governor Murphy photo