New Jersey: Lawmakers Advance Important Marijuana Law Reform Bills

Originally published at blog.NORML.org

In some big news out of New Jersey, several marijuana reform bills have been voted out of their committees and are awaiting floor votes.

Senate Bill 2703 and Assembly Bill 4497 have both passed out of their committees and are set to be voted on as early as Monday, March 25th. These bills would legalize the personal possession of one ounce or less of cannabis and would regulate and tax the adult-use and retail sale. Some highlights of this landmark legislation are-

• Expedited expungement of past misdemeanor marijuana convictions
• Taxing marijuana sales at three-percent, which will be collected by or paid to municipalities wherever retail stores exist
• Incentives to promote socio-economic, racial, and gender equity in the state’s cannabis industry

Governor Phil Murphy, one of the driving forces of marijuana legalization in the state since taking office in January, has already signaled his intent to sign a legalization bill once it gets to his desk. However, the margins in the New Jersey State Legislature are still very close, with a slight majority of the legislators being in favor of legalizing marijuana for adult-use in the state. With several state lawmakers still on the fence about legalization, input from residents of New Jersey is of paramount importance. Legalizing marijuana would result in dozens of positive impacts for New Jerseyans and cannot happen without the support of reform-minded residents who are committed to personal freedom in New Jersey.

Are you a New Jersey resident? Click here to send a message to your legislators in support of legalizing marijuana in the Garden State.

Other legislation, Senate Bill 3205 and Assembly Bill A4498 have both passed out of their committees and are awaiting scheduled votes. These bills would allow for the expedited expungement of certain marijuana-related convictions after marijuana legalization is signed into law in New Jersey. It reduces the wait time for expungement and expands the list of convictions eligible for expungement upon marijuana legalization in the state.

Are you a New Jersey resident? Click here to send a message to your legislators in support of this effort.

Separate legislation, Senate Bill S10 and Assembly Bill A10 have both passed out of their committees and are awaiting scheduled votes. These bills would expand the state’s medical marijuana program to allow for greater accessibility and protections for qualified patients. It increases the amount of medical cannabis a qualified patient is legally allowed to purchase and possess, protects patients from losing their jobs or custody of their children simply because of their status as a medical patient, and phases out retail sales taxes on medical marijuana to make the program more affordable for patients.

Are you a New Jersey resident? Click here to send a message to your legislators in support of this effort.

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