Senator Scutari Offers Bill To Oversee NJ's Marijuana Business

CENTRAL JERSEY — Now that New Jersey voters have made their voices heard on marijuana, Sen. Nicholas Scutari has introduced a bill to create a system to oversee the cannabis business in the Garden State.

Scutari, a Democrat whose district includes portions of Union, Somerset and Middlesex counties, was a prime sponsor of getting the marijuana legalization question on the ballot.

"This is a historic step forward that will bring marijuana out of the underground market with a regulatory system that ensures the safe use of cannabis products by adults," said Scutari, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. "With the overwhelming support of the public we will now move forward as quickly as possible to erase the failed policy of marijuana prohibition with reforms that will help correct the social and legal injustices that have had a discriminatory impact on communities of color."

Scutari introduced the bill, "New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Modernization Act" (S-21) on Monday. To view the bill click here.

"The estimated $127 million being spent annually in New Jersey to enforce marijuana laws can now be used for other purposes. We are also acting on separate marijuana decriminalization legislation that will produce additional criminal justice reforms," Scutari said. "As the largest state in the Northeast to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, we have the ability to establish a new business sector that will create jobs with growers, processors, wholesalers and retailers, and generate economic growth at a time when it is desperately needed. New Jersey can be a leader in social justice reforms and in the legal cannabis industry."

Last Tuesday, voters approved the public referendum legalizing the recreational use of marijuana by a two-to-one margin.

Scutari's bill is among one of the key issues legislators still need to hammer out to get the marijuana legalization process going before Jan. 1, 2021. Some of those issues include criminal justice, how much marijuana people will be allowed to legally possess, and whether people will be allowed to grow cannabis at home.

• Read More: NJ Gets Ball Rolling On Marijuana Legalization After Election

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