Legislators in Rhode Island revised a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis with the hope the changes could help the measure pass the state’s General Assembly.
The changes include delaying the start date for recreational marijuana sales from Oct. 1, as originally proposed, to Dec. 1, the Associated Press reported.
The revised bill was released Tuesday ahead of committee votes expected Wednesday.
The Rhode Island Senate and House are expected to vote next week, according to the AP.
The revised bill would also:
- Eliminate the fees that patients and caregivers pay to register for the Rhode Island medical marijuana program.
- Change the appointment process to the state’s regulatory commission, addressing conflict-of-interest concerns raised by the governor.
- Automatically expunge any prior conviction for marijuana possession that would be decriminalized by the new law.
