Minnesota lawmakers are readying a proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis ahead of the next legislative session, which kicks off in February.
House Majority Leader Rep. Ryan Winkler has been hosting a series of 15 “Be Heard on Cannabis” discussions throughout the state to gather public input on adult-use legalization and regulation, and has also been meeting with members of Gov. Tim Walz’s administration and lawmakers on the issue, according to a Star Tribune report.
Winkler is expected to be the chief sponsor of a legalization bill next year, according to the news outlet, and he is currently working with officials from Colorado to craft his proposal.
Walz, a supporter of legalization, has instructed state agencies to be prepared to implement an adult-use cannabis law should a bill reach his desk next year, but legalization efforts face opposition in the Republican-controlled Senate, the Star Tribune reported.
Earlier this year, a Senate committee rejected a legalization bill, and even rejected changing the legislation into as task force to study the issue.
