Under the bill, people aged 21 and older could legally buy and use marijuana and those convicted of low-level marijuana convictions would see their records expunged. The proposal has cleared a dozen House committees and is set to pass through the chamber with bipartisan support but it faces a murky path forward in the Senate, where lawmakers have yet to take it up. Gov. Tim Walz has said he supports the bill and would sign it into law if it reached his desk.
House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, D-Golden Valley, said the plan is a step toward ensuring racial equity in the state since marijuana-related convictions tend to disproportionately impact Black Minnesotans, despite consistent use across demographic groups.
"We have this bill before us today because Minnesotans have decided that it's time to legalize cannabis and right the wrongs of the criminal prohibition of cannabis that has failed Minnesota, that has failed Minnesotans and it's time for it to change," Winkler said.
Winkler and other DFL lawmakers held more than a dozen town hall meetings around the state to take in support and concerns about the plan over the past two years. The proposal would also establish a marketplace in the state for selling and taxing marijuana, with safety measures built in. Funds from marijuana sales would help pay for substance abuse programs.
"Over the past two years we had thoughtful, intentional, careful conversations on this issue all across the state, listening to Minnesotans of all viewpoints. We heard about how harmful our current cannabis policies are for Minnesotans, especially for our Black, Indigenous and people of color," said Rep. Rena Moran, D-St. Paul. "The racial disparities are absolutely impossible to ignore and the damage caused from unnecessary interaction with the criminal justice system lasts a lifetime."
Opponents have said the plan could create unsafe situations on roadways if drivers get behind the wheel while under the influence or in workplace situations if workers show up impaired.
Republicans at the Capitol said that some GOP lawmakers could break off to support the proposal, but expected that most would oppose it. House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, on Wednesday called on Democrats to prioritize issues such as finishing the budget and tax conformity in the legislative session's final days.
"There are a lot of Minnesotans … that are going to be hurt unnecessarily," Daudt told reporters. "And what Democrats are doing at the State Capitol is rolling a doobie."
The puns didn't stop there. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, on Thursday said the measure wouldn't have a shot at passing if it made it through the House.
"The marijuana bill in the Senate is up in smoke, that's not going to happen," Gazelka said, noting that Senate Republicans were open to discussions about the state's medical cannabis program or lowering penalties for marijuana-related crimes. "Making legalized pot for fun, we just don't think that's a good idea."
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for adult use. And South Dakota voters in November supported a ballot measure legalizing marijuana for recreational use. That proposal remains ensnared in the courts.
The Minnesota House is scheduled to take up the bill around 6 p.m. Thursday.
Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter @bydanaferguson, call 651-290-0707 or email dferguson@forumcomm.com
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Minnesota House to vote Thursday on legalizing recreational marijuana for adult use - Pine Journal
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