New Hampshire House lawmakers to hear amended cannabis bill

253 0

The state’s legislators continue to grapple with how to frame marijuana laws

The week started with good news for cannabis advocates in New Hampshire after a second committee approved an amended bill to legalize the plant yesterday. As a result, the measure will now return to the full House so lawmakers can hold their respective votes on the issue.

Minority Leader Matthew Wilhelm and Majority Leader Jason Osborne are the current sponsors of the bill that passed the House Ways and Means Committee on a 16-4 vote. While it is true that the bill passed the full House in February, it needs to be revisited by the finance-focused committee because of its fiscal provisions. Before potentially being sent to the Senate, the measure must once again receive the green light from the House.

Members of the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee had to meet over several weeks to work on the proposal, going back and forth on a variety of provisions and implementing certain modifications to the original measure. Initially, the bill established a 15% tax on cannabis flowers at the wholesale level. Still, after a panel debate, that tax was modified to 12.5% on the price of the products in their final form at the wholesale level.

The manner in which marijuana revenues will be allocated was also amended by the committee. Once the costs to cover legalization are completed, $100,000 would fund data collection and report on the health impacts of marijuana prohibition and regulation. The remaining funds will be divided percentage-wise to support various programs, such as education, the retirement system, substance use, etc.