Connecticut Senate narrowly approves legalizing recreational marijuana, 19-17

June 8, 2021
AggregatedNews
Connecticut
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After a nearly five-hour debate into the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the state Senate narrowly voted 19-17 to legalize recreational marijuana, with one Republican joining Democrats in a controversial result that now moves the issue to the House of Representatives as time runs out on the 2021 legislative session.

It was the first time either chamber voted on full legalization of cannabis, nine years after the General Assembly adopted a medical market that now has more than 50,000 patients.

Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, was the lone Republican voting yes at 1:51 a.m., as six Democrats cast ballots in the negative, including Sen. Saud Anwar of South Windsor, Sen. Steve Cassano of Manchester, Sen. Christine Cohen of Guilford, Sen. Joan Hartley of Waterbury, Sen. Dennis Bradley of Bridgeport and Sen. Alex Kasser of Greenwich.

The bill next moves to the House, with the looming Wednesday midnight legislative deadline, but where House Majority Leader Jason Rojas has invested a lot of time and effort in recent weeks to arrive at a compromise bill that earlier Monday, he and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter vowed to bring to a vote. [Read more at ctpost.com]

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