New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives gave approval today to legislation that would make their state the 25th to legalize recreational marijuana.
By a vote of 239 to 136, the House voted to send House Bill 1633 to the Senate. The measure, filed by State Representative Erica Layon (R), was approved by the House seven weeks after the chamber gave approval to slightly differing language.
The measure will now be sent to the state’s Senate, with approval there putting the measure on the desk of Governor Sununu.
“I think this is an excellent bill,” said Rep. Layon prior to the vote. “Quite frankly I think it’s time for us to go ahead and vote on this bill, and let the other body deal with it.”
Under the proposed law, those 21 and older would be allowed to purchase, possess and use marijuana for any use. The measure would allow 15 licensed marijuana retail outlets to open throughout the state, with marijuana taxed at 10%. Licensing and regulations would be handled by the state’s Liquor Commission.
“This meets just about every requirement – every requirement that was previously laid out in order to become law”, said Layon. “This bill makes it so that the agency model has strong control, but those rules about how they operate would be done through administrative rules – there’d be public comment. It also doesn’t set prices.”
Governor Sununu has long opposed legalizing marijuana, but in recent months he’s indicated a willingness to support legalization if sales are exclusive to state-operated marijuana stores. In November he said marijuana legalization in New Hampshire is “inevitable”.
