The New Jersey Assembly voted 48 to 20 to pass legislation that would revise the state’s rules for hemp, intoxicating hemp beverages and medical marijuana dispensary licensing.

Assembly Bill 5051, filed by Assemblymember Robert Karabinchak (D) and Assemblymember Annette Quijano (D), will now move to the Senate.

Under current law, hemp producers may possess or transport certain in-process hemp material above the state’s 0.3% THC limit only until May 31. Intoxicating hemp beverages are also set to face new limits beginning that date, including a cap of five milligrams of THC per serving and 10 milligrams per container.

AB 5051 would extend those May 31 deadlines to November 13, 2026. It would also revise the state’s container rules for intoxicating hemp beverages by maintaining the allowance for cans containing no more than five milligrams of THC per serving or 10 milligrams per can, while adding a new option for resealable 750-milliliter bottles containing 40 servings of five milligrams each, with no more than 200 milligrams per bottle.

The bill would allow a 10% margin of error in cannabinoid concentration for required laboratory testing results tied to certificates of analysis.

The legislation would also change how alcohol licensees are required to store and display intoxicating hemp beverages. Rather than requiring the products to be kept in areas inaccessible to customers without employee assistance, businesses would need to keep them separate from other intoxicating liquors, post notices saying the beverages are intoxicating hemp products limited to those 21 and older, monitor the display area and confirm age at the point of sale.

The bill would leave in place a November 13, 2026 deadline ending intoxicating hemp beverage sales by alcohol licensees.

AB 5051 also includes changes to the state’s medical marijuana licensing rules. The measure would allow a medical marijuana dispensary applying for a co-located Class 5 adult-use retailer license to avoid a separate round of municipal review if the dispensary is located in a municipality that already allows medical marijuana dispensaries.

The proposal would also prevent municipalities from blocking adult-use retail sales by qualifying medical marijuana dispensaries that were open and operating lawfully before July 1, 2023, had no violations or violation notices, and operated for at least three years before the bill’s enactment.

With passage by the Assembly, the measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.