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A North Carolina Senate committee on Tuesday approved a revised bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state. This comes one week after the panel held a hearing to discuss the legislation and approve changes, but members did not vote at that prior meeting. Senators advanced the measure this time in a voice vote. A previous version of the reform legislation cleared Judiciary and another committee last month, but it was rereferred earlier this month. The bill must still clear the Senate Health Care and Rules and Operations Committees in order to reach the floor before potentially heading to the…

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – Connecticut’s recreational marijuana bill passed through the Senate late Thursday morning. The legislation passed in the House of Representatives Wednesday night and moved on to the Senate. They voted just before noon, passing the bill 16 to 11, with 9 votes not cast. The bill now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk to be signed. Connecticut’s recreational marijuana bill passed through the Senate late Thursday morning. “The lesson is the public is far ahead of where elected officials are on this issue, and most of the states that have struggled to do this as we have…

Connecticut is on the verge of legalizing marijuana after lawmakers sent a cannabis reform bill to the desk of the state’s supportive governor on Thursday. The latest action, a Senate vote of 16-11, caps a drama-filled week that at one point saw Gov. Ned Lamont (D) issue a threat to veto the legislation he largely supports over a specific provision on equity licensing eligibility. On Wednesday the bill passed the House of Representatives, which had amended the version adopted by the Senate a day earlier to remove the controversial language, necessitating Thursday’s final vote on concurrence. If Lamont signs the…

File via Shutterstock JONATHAN L. WHARTON When I worked in New Jersey’s state Capitol as a legislative researcher, my supervisor often said there were two things you never wanted to witness: sausage-making and bill drafting. The legislative process is rarely a pleasant experience and few have an understanding of policy making since it can be complicated, political and secretive. What happened this last week with the recreational marijuana proposal wasn’t any different. Delaying passage of the bill was the textbook example of problematic public policymaking.  Connecticut’s General Assembly is notorious for delaying bills. In fact, Judge Robert Satter said in…

File via Shutterstock JONATHAN L. WHARTON When I worked in New Jersey’s state Capitol as a legislative researcher, my supervisor often said there were two things you never wanted to witness: sausage-making and bill drafting. The legislative process is rarely a pleasant experience and few have an understanding of policy making since it can be complicated, political and secretive. What happened this last week with the recreational marijuana proposal wasn’t any different. Delaying passage of the bill was the textbook example of problematic public policymaking.  Connecticut’s General Assembly is notorious for delaying bills. In fact, Judge Robert Satter said in…

The governor of Connecticut on Thursday said he’ll be upset if the legislature fails to deliver him a bill to legalize marijuana in a special session that is set to take place next week. “I will be,” Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said in response to a report’s question about whether he’ll be disappointed if the cannabis legislation doesn’t reach his desk. “Pass the bill. Let’s go. Vote on it and pass it.” The Senate approved a legalization proposal in the final days of the regular session this week, but an expected House vote was called off as time ran short…

Most, if not all, of the state police dogs trained to smell for weed will retire if Connecticut legalizes recreational marijuana. Police dogs, a widespread tool in Connecticut law enforcement, have been used for years by local and state police to detect hidden drugs. But with marijuana facing possible legalization, the need would end for those specifically trained to sniff out the drug. “The potential to have to retire those K-9s is a pretty good possibility,” said Brian Foley, assistant to Connecticut State Police Commissioner James Rovella. “Obviously, we would look for other avenues and other uses for those K-9s,”…

Most, if not all, of the state police dogs trained to smell for weed will retire if Connecticut legalizes recreational marijuana. Police dogs, a widespread tool in Connecticut law enforcement, have been used for years by local and state police to detect hidden drugs. But with marijuana facing possible legalization, the need would end for those specifically trained to sniff out the drug. “The potential to have to retire those K-9s is a pretty good possibility,” said Brian Foley, assistant to Connecticut State Police Commissioner James Rovella. “Obviously, we would look for other avenues and other uses for those K-9s,”…