A marijuana legalization bill that passed the New Hampshire House on Thursday, after months of workshopping and debate, lacks the support it would need from Governor Chris Sununu to become law.
A spokesperson for Sununu said the governor has clearly articulated the policy framework necessary to win his signature, but the version of House Bill 1633 that state representatives approved on Thursday “doesn’t get us there.”
That said, Sununu looks forward to working with the New Hampshire Senate “to see if we can get it done,” with a focus on harm reduction and protecting kids, the spokesperson added.
Even as proponents of HB 1633 celebrated its passage in the House, some acknowledged that amendments are needed to satisfy Sununu’s stipulations.
The past year has been busy for those pushing for legalization in New Hampshire, the only state in New England that has yet to allow marijuana for recreational use.
In May, senators killed a bill that had garnered broad bipartisan support in the House. The next day, Sununu announced his openness to signing a particular type of legalization bill to give the state control over distribution, advertising, and more. He has said he will veto any legislation that departs from his framework.
A commission met for months last fall to study how lawmakers might devise a model that meets Sununu’s demands, but members failed to unify around their proposal. Debate and revisions have continued this year.
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