2021 Capitol Report, March 1, 2021

Intro:

Members of a New Mexico Legislative Committee held a lengthy meeting Saturday to discuss three cannabis legalization bills put forward by Senators.

Tom Trowbridge reports from the Roundhouse:

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With last week’s approval by the New Mexico House of a cannabis legalization bill in the background, the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee took-in public comment—but no action—over the weekend on the “upper chamber’s” take on legal weed.

Of the four bills under consideration, Senator Cliff Pirtle’s is the only Republican-sponsored measure in the mix. I asked Pirtle how his Senate Bill 288 differs from the other proposals put forth by Democrats. He says the main difference is the objective of putting the illicit cannabis market out of business.

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Senator Pirtle, who believes legalization of recreational cannabis is inevitable in New Mexico, also notes his bill would direct some of the revenues from taxes on cannabis sales to assisting law enforcement in battling black market weed.

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Despite the efforts of Pirtle and some Democratic Senators, the betting odds on legalizing cannabis this session favor House Bill Twelve, which is before the Senate; half-way to the Governor’s Desk.

For the New Mexico News Network, I’m Tom Trowbridge

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