Marijuana deal may come next week, Scutari says

By Nikita Biryukov
New Jersey Globe

Legislative leaders and Gov. Phil Murphy may be nearing a deal on marijuana legalization, State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) told the New Jersey Globe Thursday.

“There’s a possibility that we have an agreement by next week,” Scutari said.

Marijuana legalization stalled last year after opposition from within Senate President Steve Sweeney’s caucus stopped the marijuana legalization package from reaching a 21-vote threshold in the legislature’s upper chamber.

Part of the trouble there may lie in Murphy and legislative leaders butting heads over the tax rate for recreational marijuana sales.

If the two reach a deal, they may be able to gin up the 21 votes needed to pass the measure.

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