The Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee will convene six hearings this summer and fall to look at issues surrounding legalizing and regulating marijuana, Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) said Friday.
With marijuana legalization likely coming to neighboring states, Sears said, it’s important to plan for the impact on Vermont.
“I’m tremendously concerned about what’s happening in Massachusetts and Maine,” Sears said. Those states have voter initiatives on the ballot this November. “We’d be better prepared.”
House Judiciary Committee chair Maxine Grad (D-Moretown) said she supports the post-session meetings. Sears had tried to pass marijuana legalization this year, but Grad and fellow House members defeated the legislation.
The meetings will focus on developing an approach to marijuana policy “that reflects the values, culture and scale of Vermont,” Sears and Grad wrote in a letter to legislative leaders seeking official permission to hold the meetings.
Sears balked Thursday at creating a marijuana study commission that would have brought in a variety of players appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. He said these meetings will be different in that they will bring together key legislators who can zero in on potential future legislation.
“These are individuals who have legislative experience and are from a variety of parties,” Sears said. The 10-member panel of House and Senate members has six Democrats, two Republicans, a Progressive and one vacant seat.
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Failure to act. Failure to support the citizens. Prohibition wins again.
Oh great…Tricky Dick Sears, the one who ruined our chances at a good cannabis bill in Vermont will be the one who helps decide the future of cannabis in Vermont? His big money donors (the ones who would have benefited from his corporate bill) must be pissed that legal cannabis failed. I wonder what his “values, culture and scale” are?
It’s only a matter of time before Vermont moves forward on this issue. I’m disappointed that prohibition is still the law of the land in Vermont, but at least these representatives and senators are going to keep talking about it over the summer and trying to reach agreement on the best way to regulate cannabis.