In the wake of Question 1's passage on last November's referendum ballot in Maine, marijuana legalization must now be implemented via programs overseen by the Legislature and Executive Branch. This has led to a spate of proposed legislation —65 individual bills in total—that now seek to modify forthcoming programs, rein in or loosen legalization, make slight tweaks to the referendum language, or affect any number of other contours within the marijuana debate.
While the conversation in popular culture often remains a base assessment of marijuana's "effects" and if it should or should not be considered a drug, the policy story is a much different one. The vast majority of debate that has and will continue to rage at the Maine State House will center on which proponents of marijuana will see it regulated as they would most like.
This regulatory debate coupled with the sheer number of marijuana related bills has led legislative leadership to tentatively agree on a "joint-select committee" on marijuana. As opposed to the Legislature's regular "joint-standing committees" the joint select will exist only so long as it is intended to by its enactors and will specifically deal with marijuana legislation. They will have the full powers of a legislative committee in that area and will be able to hear, work, and report out bills. Legislative leadership is expected to announce the committee's membership next week. The irony that it is a joint committee is appreciated by one and all.
One of the 65 proposed bills has garnered the lion's share of interest, ire, and media attention thus far. LD 88 would delay the implementation of the Question 1 for one year as language changes were made to the impending statute. LD 88 had its first hearing today at 1 p.m. before the Veterans & Legal Affairs Committee.
Updates and commentary from Preti Flaherty's municipal law attorneys.
