The Minnesota House of Representatives has given final approval to a marijuana legalization bill that was recently completed in a conference committee, sending it to the Senate for one last vote before it hits the governor’s desk.
The legislation passed the chamber in a 73-57 vote on Thursday.
The development comes just two days after the House sponsor, Rep. Zack Stephenson (D), signed off on the 320-page conference report that was processed by non-partisan legislative staff following the final meeting of bicameral negotiators on Tuesday.
“Well, the day has finally arrived,” Stephenson said on the floor. “Today is the day that we are going to vote here in the House for the last time to legalize cannabis and bring the change that many Minnesotans have wanted for a very long time.”
“This is a good bill,” he said. “It’s been a long process to get here.”
The Senate is expected to take up the measure imminently, as the legislative session ends on Monday. The governor has pledged to sign the bill when he gets it.
While the House approved the legislation largely along party lines, it did get support from some Republicans.
Rep. Nolan West (R), who was a member of the conference committee, said that “opening up to a legal market will allow these things to be tested and approved.”
“Everything that will be sold when this bill is legal will have to be approved and tested so people know what’s in it,” he said. “It’s more dangerous today without this, just like when people were dying from alcohol with alcohol prohibition. It’s more dangerous to prohibit it.”
Source: marijuanamoment.net
Photo Credit: GettyImages-LARISA SHPINEVA
Categories: Minnesota, Government & Policy