The governor of Vermont on Tuesday signaled he might veto a bill to legalize marijuana sales in the state. The governor cited concerns about whether the legislation addresses racial equity. Gov. Phil Scott (R) had previously centered his criticism of the policy change on issues such as impaired driving, taxes, and local control. Some advocates suspect his newly expressed worries about racial justice amount to a cop-out to justify rejecting the reform bill. The comments came during a gubernatorial debate between Scott and Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (D), a vocal advocate for cannabis reform. “In terms of the pot bill, I haven’t made up my mind about that. I have received a lot of groups—racial equity groups—that are asking me to veto it,” Scott said. “I was leaning towards letting it go, but I’m really questioning that at this point. I want to hear and listen from them.” He also criticized the lieutenant governor, saying that as the presiding officer of the Senate, he should hear from these groups to get their input on the bill.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 09/30/2020 11:44:24