Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act
The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (A1617/S1527) was a bill under consideration by the New York State Legislature during the 2019–2020 session.
History
A version of the bill was introduced by state senator Liz Krueger in December, 2013.[1][2] In January, 2018, the New York State Assembly Standing Committees on Codes, Health, and Alcohol and Drug Abuse opened public hearings on the bill.[3] Testimony at the hearings came from those who thought the law would endorse a gateway drug, and those who thought it would decrease opioid abuse.[4] The bill "stalled" in April, without sufficient Senate support, and was not included in the acts for the annual state budget.[5] A new bill was introduced in mid May.[6] The May 31 passage of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, the first legalization and regulatory system entirely enacted by a state legislature,[7] was said by a cannabis industry executive to have the potential to "pave the way" for legislation in Northeast states like New York and New Jersey.[8] The bill did not receive a vote by the end of the session in June, 2019.[9]
Provisions, revenue and administration
Tax revenue under the act for the City of New York is estimated by the state comptroller to be at least $400 million annually.[10] The state legal market was reported by The New York Times to be worth $1.7 billion annually.[11]
The act would create the Office of Cannabis Management charged with all regulation related to cannabis, to include hemp.[6]
Amendments made in April–May included provisions for expungement of some past cannabis-related convictions. 300,000 convictions could be eligible.[12]
Support and opposition
Support from the bill came from civil rights groups, citing racial inequities stemming from the War on Drugs. The New York Farm Bureau supported the bill.[13] The district attorneys of Albany County and New York County (Manhattan), David Soares and Cyrus Vance Jr., published an op-ed in the New York Daily News supporting the bill, citing its correction of racial injustice and the freeing up of finite law enforcement resources for other matters.[14] Vance had already ended prosecuting most marijuana offenses in New York City as of August, 2018.[15]
Opposition came from the out-of-state organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana who spent $10,000 on billboards criticizing legislators who promoted the bill.[16] Long Island legislators not favoring the bill said that law enforcement had expressed "concerns" about cannabis and impaired driving,[17] and legalization was opposed by New York State Association of PBAs (police unions) and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police.[18][19] New York State PTA opposed the bill.[20]
References
- Liz Krueger (December 11, 2013), "Sen. Krueger Introduces Bill to Regulate and Tax Marijuana in New York State", Official website, New York State Senate
- NYS Lawmakers Roll Out Measure To Tax, Legalize Marijuana, CBS New York, December 11, 2013
- Janet Burns (January 11, 2018), "Will New York Finally Consider Legalizing Cannabis This Week?", Forbes
- Jessica Formoso (January 11, 2018), Legal marijuana in New York? Lawmakers hold hearing, Fox 5 New York (WNYW-TV)
- Claire Hansen (May 29, 2019). "New York Gov. Cuomo Say Marijuana Legalization is Still a Top Priority as Legislation Faces Roadblocks – An effort to legalize weed in New York stalled in April but may be reinvigorated with the reintroduction of a legalization bill". U.S. News and World Report.
- KAREN DEWITT (May 14, 2019), New Legal Marijuana Bill Introduced In NY, Albany, New York: WAMC Northeast Public Radio
- Claire Hansen (May 31, 2019). "Illinois Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Legalization". U.S. News and World Report.
Illinois will also become the first state to legalize cannabis sales through legislation, a feat that has proved notoriously tricky even in states with Democrat-controlled statehouses. The nine states where marijuana sales are legal approved the practice at the ballot box.
- Lizzy Gurdus (June 8, 2019). "Illinois legalizing cannabis could help New York, New Jersey do the same, says U.S. pot CEO". CNBC.
- Claire Hansen (June 19, 2019). "New York Marijuana Legalization Bill Dead for Now: A reinvigorated push for cannabis legalization fell short on the last day of the legislative session". US News and World Report.
- Al Olson (June 14, 2017), "New York Recreational Marijuana Bill Is On The Table", Out magazine
- Vivian Wang (December 17, 2018). "Cuomo Moves to Legalize Recreational Marijuana in New York". The New York Times.
- Ala Errebhi (June 15, 2019). "NY marijuana bill could erase 300,000 criminal convictions". Buffalo, New York: WKBW-TV – via KPRC-TV (Houston).
- David Lombardo (June 10, 2019). "New York Farm Bureau backs marijuana legalization". Times Union. Albany, New York.
- Cyrus Vance Jr. and David Soares (June 14, 2019). "Legalize marijuana now, New York: Two district attorneys say the time has come to permit use of the substance". New York Daily News.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
- Verena Dobnik (June 2, 2018). "Bad timing: End to pot prosecutions in NYC comes too late for many". The Associated Press – via The Detroit News.
- David Robinson (June 10, 2019). "New York marijuana: What to know about anti-pot billboards, key lawmakers under pressure". Rockland/Westchester Journal News. USA Today Network New York.
One of the billboards targets Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who has said the bill is important to address the disproportionate impact pot arrests on people of color in urban areas.
- Fred Mogul (June 14, 2019). "Eleventh-Hour Efforts Target Marijuana-Hesitant Lawmakers". Gothamist. WNYC. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
- New York State Association of Chiefs of Police oppose marijuana legalization, Rochester, New York: WHEC-TV, January 18, 2019
- Tina Moore (February 6, 2019). "State police unions unanimously oppose legalizing marijuana". New York Post.
- David Lombardo (February 6, 2019). "PTA urges state leaders to back-burner marijuana legalization". Times Union. Albany, New York.
Further reading
External links
- Summary, text of bill and vote record, New York State Assembly
- Summary of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, Start Smart New York