New Jersey Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) introduced legislation Nov. 6 to implement the state’s adult-use cannabis program, just days after voters passed a legalization initiative on Election Day, according to an NJ.com report.
The bill, S.21/A.21, outlines how the state’s newly legal cannabis industry will operate, and largely mirrors an unsuccessful legalization bill Scutari sponsored last year, NJ.com reported.
The bill, which consists of 206 pages, includes many “hyper-technical” changes from the legislation considered last year, Scutari told NJ.com, as well as one more substantial change: medical cannabis license holders will be able to open two additional cultivation sites to meet adult-use demand.
Currently, medical cannabis operators can only operate one grow facility, but up to three dispensary locations, according to NJ.com.
New Jersey’s new adult-use cannabis industry, as well as its existing medical cannabis market, will be overseen by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, and there is no limit on the number of adult-use licenses that can be issued, NJ.com reported.
The legislation includes several provisions to bolster social equity and diversify ownership in the state’s adult-use cannabis market, according to the news outlet, including reserving 15% of licenses for racial minorities and another 15% for women and veterans.
The bill is scheduled for hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Regulations Committee Nov. 9, according to the news outlet, and lawmakers aim to get the legislation passed through the full Senate and Assembly by Nov. 16.
