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]

See also

References
  1. Liz Krueger (December 11, 2013), "Sen. Krueger Introduces Bill to Regulate and Tax Marijuana in New York State", Official website, New York State Senate
  2. NYS Lawmakers Roll Out Measure To Tax, Legalize Marijuana, CBS New York, December 11, 2013
  3. Janet Burns (January 11, 2018), "Will New York Finally Consider Legalizing Cannabis This Week?", Forbes
  4. Jessica Formoso (January 11, 2018), Legal marijuana in New York? Lawmakers hold hearing, Fox 5 New York (WNYW-TV)
  5. 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.
  6. KAREN DEWITT (May 14, 2019), New Legal Marijuana Bill Introduced In NY, Albany, New York: WAMC Northeast Public Radio
  7. 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.
  8. Lizzy Gurdus (June 8, 2019). "Illinois legalizing cannabis could help New York, New Jersey do the same, says U.S. pot CEO". CNBC.
  9. 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.
  10. Al Olson (June 14, 2017), "New York Recreational Marijuana Bill Is On The Table", Out magazine
  11. Vivian Wang (December 17, 2018). "Cuomo Moves to Legalize Recreational Marijuana in New York". The New York Times.
  12. Ala Errebhi (June 15, 2019). "NY marijuana bill could erase 300,000 criminal convictions". Buffalo, New York: WKBW-TV – via KPRC-TV (Houston).
  13. David Lombardo (June 10, 2019). "New York Farm Bureau backs marijuana legalization". Times Union. Albany, New York.
  14. 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)
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. New York State Association of Chiefs of Police oppose marijuana legalization, Rochester, New York: WHEC-TV, January 18, 2019
  19. Tina Moore (February 6, 2019). "State police unions unanimously oppose legalizing marijuana". New York Post.
  20. David Lombardo (February 6, 2019). "PTA urges state leaders to back-burner marijuana legalization". Times Union. Albany, New York.

Further reading
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