Billerica state Rep. Marc Lombardo came out against a move by legislators on Wednesday delaying several recreational marijuana deadlines across the state.
"The bill came out of nowhere and in my opinion, should not have been passed in an informal session," Lombardo wrote in a message to The Minuteman.
Lombardo, who represents the 22nd Middlesex, said the vote runs counter to the will of the voters.
"While I was opposed to Question 4, I believe the voters have spoken and I disagree with the action to delay the implementation of the ballot question," he said.
An opponent of the voter law legalizing marijuana for general adult use, Gov. Charlie Baker plans to "carefully review" the legislation rushed to his desk Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman.
"The administration will continue to work closely with lawmakers, educators, and public safety and public health professionals on the implementation of the law to ensure the transition protects the interests of our communities and families while adhering to the will of the voters," Baker communications director Lizzy Guyton said in a statement. "The governor will carefully review any legislation reaching his desk."
The House and Senate on Wednesday passed a bill (S 2524) that would delay the licensing of retail marijuana outlets by six months, which could push the regulated sale of pot well into 2018. Possession, use and marijuana home-growing provisions of the law took effect Dec. 15 and those aspects of the ballot law are not altered in the legislation.
Without advance notice, legislative leaders introduced the delay bill at sessions that began at 11 a.m. and whisked it through both branches. Only a handful of legislators were present to move the bill along and it received final approval votes in the House at 1:10 p.m. and in the Senate at 1:13 p.m.
The proposed changes to the voter-approved ballot question would need Baker’s signature to become law. An aide to Baker did not directly address whether the governor collaborated with lawmakers on the delay bill.
A spokeswoman for Treasurer Deborah Goldberg said she had not worked with lawmakers on the bill. Goldberg is responsible for appointing the Cannabis Control Commission and has advocated for delay in implementing aspects of the law.
Baker has previously endorsed a delay of a "reasonable time-period" to allow officials to address public health, safety and local control issues.
"The folks in the legislature have talked about putting some sort of a delay in place at some point so that some of these issues around public health and public safety and local decision-making can get addressed, and if the Legislature decides that that’s a direction they want to go in, we’ll certainly work with them on it," Baker said earlier in December. "But as I’ve said before, we need to be cognizant of the fact that the people have spoken on this and we certainly believe there are things we can do to improve the public safety and public health pieces in particular, but we need to respect the fact that the voters voted for this."
According to House and Senate leaders, the bill extends by six months deadlines in the ballot law for the state "to appoint the Cannabis Control Commission, draft and approve regulations, vet applicants and issue licenses for retail sales and cultivation, and to establish seed-to-sale tracking systems."
House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg issued a joint press release as the bill was being sped through the branches, saying the measure would allow the Legislature "more time to improve the ballot question, take up issues not addressed by the ballot question, and allow the state more time to implement the will of the voters."
The bill also directs the state Department of Public Health to contract for a study of marijuana use, including patterns of use and methods of consumption, incidents of impaired driving and marijuana-related hospitalizations and the economic impacts on the state.
Rosenberg and DeLeo also announced they plan to form a new Committee on Marijuana featuring members of both branches "to work with stakeholders to research, review, and draft marijuana related legislation."
Few lawmakers publicly supported the ballot measure before the Nov. 8 vote and many expressed their opposition to the voter law.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Lombardo Opposes Bill To Delay Recreational Marijuana
Author: Andy Metzger
Contact: 781-674-7722
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Website: Wicked Local BIllerica
