A New Jersey Assembly lawmaker filed companion legislation yesterday to a Senate bill introduced earlier this month, with both measures allowing liquor stores to sell low-dose THC beverages.

Assembly Bill 5338, filed June 28 by Assemblymember Michael Venezia (D), was referred to the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee. The measure is a companion to Senate Bill 4452, filed earlier this month by State Senator Joseph Lagana (D), which remains pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The legislation would create a new retail pathway for low-dose cannabis beverages by allowing liquor stores to sell products containing THC.

Under the bill, a “low dose THC beverage” would be defined as either a liquid consumable cannabis product or a powder or gel that can be mixed with water to create a liquid consumable cannabis product. To qualify, the product would need to be manufactured by a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer and contain less than 10 milligrams of THC per container, unless the Cannabis Regulatory Commission sets a higher limit.

The proposal would place several restrictions on sales. Customers would be required to provide identification, and purchases would be limited to those who are at least 21 years old. Retailers would also be prohibited from selling more than 24 containers to a single customer in one transaction.

The bill would also prohibit low-dose THC beverages from being sold through vending machines. Liquor stores that sell the products would be required to actively monitor where they are stored or displayed and verify the customer’s age at the point of sale.

The measure states that liquor stores selling low-dose THC beverages would not be required to comply with additional requirements that may be established by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, in consultation with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Businesses that violate the bill’s provisions would be subject to civil penalties.

Assembly Bill 5338 remains pending in the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee.