N.J. legal weed deal: All about chronology, details and next steps

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Governor Phil Murphy and key state legislators officially announced on Tuesday morning the signing of an agreement on a bill to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes in New Jersey after closing the gap on the one of the last problems separating them.

This announcement sheds new light on expectations regarding the legal weed bill, which should be revealed in the coming days. NJ Advance Media reported the deal for the first time late Monday night.

Murphy said in a statement that he had reached an agreement with his Democratic colleagues who head the legislature, Senate Speaker Stephen Sweeney, and the Speaker of the House, Craig Coughlin, comes after months of "hard work and thoughtful negotiations".

"I think this legislation will create an industry that will bring equity and economic opportunity to all our communities, while promoting public safety by ensuring a safe product and allowing law enforcement to focus their resources on serious crimes." "said the governor.

Now comes the busy – and uncertain – part. The agreement establishes a fascinating 13-day program in which Murphy and lawmakers will try to get enough votes in the legislature to get the ball rolling on March 25.

So, what does the agreement tell us about what to expect from legalization?

If the bill, if passed, would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana use by New Jersey's 21 year olds and over.

Last month, NJ Advance Media announced that Murphy and legislators had agreed to tax weeds based on their weight in New Jersey rather than taxing what amounted to an additional sales tax, as had been proposed previously.

On Tuesday, officials revealed that they would impose a tax of $ 42 per ounce of marijuana grown in that state. The tax would be imposed on producers, but would be passed on to consumers.

Municipalities would also be able to claim a portion of the revenue, according to the legislator's statement. Cities with pottery stores may charge a 3% tax on items sold, while cities with producers may charge a 2% tax and cities with wholesalers may charge a 1% tax.

If the Legalization Bill is passed, the more precise rules and regulations will be created by a five-member Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Three members would be appointed by the Governor, at his discretion, while the other two would be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.

In addition to rule making, the regulatory board would also be responsible for industry enforcement and oversight.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said the bill would legalize the pot "responsibly".

Coughlin, D-Middlesex, agreed, calling it "the most responsible legislation possible."

The redactions – the erasure of old convictions – were one of the last elements delaying the adoption of a new bill on legalization. The idea is that people convicted of low-level cannabis in New Jersey be able to easily erase them from their records, because weed would now be legal.

Several lawmakers have stated that they would not support legalization without a radiation reform.

In the announcement on Tuesday, lawmakers announced that they had agreed to a faster delisting process for those convicted of marijuana and "a virtual delisting process." which will automatically prevent certain marijuana-related offenses from being taken into account in certain areas such as education, housing and professional licenses. "

The details are still meager, so it's hard to know what one or the other of these processes will look like. Expulsion in New Jersey has long been a difficult process for many people.