ALBANY, NY - New York state Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) filed a bill this week that would legalize marijuana in the Empire State. The proposal is co-sponsored by Senators Martin Dilan (D-Brooklyn), Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn) and Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx). If passed, Senate Bill 1747 –"The Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act" - would legalize marijuana possession and limited personal cultivation for adults 21 years of age or older. Those 21 or older would be able to purchase small amounts of marijuana from a state-regulated store. The proposal would also decriminalize marijuana possession by adults 18 to 21. The bill would also place an excise tax on all marijuana sales. While the full text of the bill is not yet available, a summary of the bill as posted on the New York Assembly website, reads: Enacts the "marihuana regulation and taxation act"; relates to the description of marihuana, and the growing of and use of marihuana by persons eighteen years of age or older; makes technical changes regarding the definition of marihuana; relates to the qualification of certain offenses involving marihuana and exempts certain persons from prosecution for the use, consumption, display, production or distribution of marihuana; provides for the licensure of persons authorized to produce, process and sell marihuana; levies an excise tax on certain sales of marihuana; repeals certain provisions of the penal law relating to the criminal sale of marihuana and provisions of the general business law relating to drug paraphernalia; makes an appropriation therefor. It is expected that the bill would allow adults 21 or older to legally possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to six marijuana plants at home for personal use, while removing criminal penalties for possession of up to two ounces of marijuana by adults 18 to 21. Senator Krueger is no stranger to introducing marijuana reform legislation in Albany, having introduced similar marijuana legalization bills in previous legislative sessions. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Finance Committee. Via: thedailychronic
Liz Krueger is my new hero! Jah bless!