A second Delaware House committee has approved a bill to legalize marijuana in the state, clearing its way to a floor vote. The House Appropriations Committee passed the legislation from Rep. Ed Osienski (D) on Thursday. No members voted in favor or against the proposal, and instead agreed unanimously to move it forward “on its merits.” This comes about a month after the House Health and Human Development Committee approved the measure, which would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis, including up to five grams of cannabis concentrates. Home cultivation and marijuana delivery services would be prohibited, however. A marijuana commissioner under the state Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement would regulate the industry and oversee licensing of retailers, cultivators, manufacturers, and laboratories. Licenses would be granted through a scored, competitive process, with advantages given to those who pay workers a living wage, provide health insurance, or meet certain other benchmarks. It’s not yet clear when a House floor vote will be scheduled. The bill from Osienski cleared the committee last year, too. However, disagreements over social equity provisions stalled the earlier version, keeping it from the floor. At the time, Osienski pledged to bring a revised bill for the 2022 session that could earn broad enough support to pass.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 02/18/2022 11:09:15