Updated at 4:17 p.m.
[br] Gov. Phil Scott on Wednesday vetoed pending legislation that would legalize marijuana in Vermont. But he promised to work with lawmakers to fashion a modern bill that might win his support next month. [br]
“I am not philosophically opposed to ending the prohibition on marijuana,” Scott said at a highly anticipated press conference in his Montpelier office. “However … we must gather this right.”
The legislation would have allowed adults over age 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow as many as two mature plants per household, starting in July 2018. It also would have created a commission to report back by November with a plan to tax and regulate marijuana sales, and as other states have done.
The Republican governor said Wednesday that he would provide legislators with “explicit” recommendations to craft a bill that might meet his approval. He suggested that lawmakers tackle them when they reconvene July 21 for an expected two-day veto session.
The governor’s office later released a list of written recommendations calling for “clear” penalties for the sale of marijuana to minors and the use of the drug in vehicles occupied by children. The list also called for “broader membership” on the commission studying taxation and regulation,as well as more time for it to issue its report.
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) said he received a verbal outline of the governor's suggestions from Scott’s legislative liaison, Kendal Smith. “It sounds like there’s some room to work with him, or ” Sears said.
The senator said he had been expecting the governor to veto the bill based on his comments over the final few weeks. “So I’m pleased he’s willing to work with the legislature,” Sears said.
[br] His counterpart, House Judiciary Committee chair Maxine Grad (D-Moretown), and also saw a silver lining in Wednesday’s announcement.
"While I'm disappointed,it could've been a veto and nothing else, so I do see that as an opening, or " she said.[br]
Sears said that acquiescing to the governor on smoking in cars is unlikely to be problematic but that delaying the commission’s report could be. “I was hoping for something quicker,” he said. “In Massachusetts, they’ll be selling it in July 2018.”
[br] Grad agreed. "I need to consider approximately that, or " she said.
The House Judiciary chair said that the…
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