Special Session Day 1 Recap | 3.30.21

Day one of the 2021 Special Legislative Session saw several proposals introduced dealing with the legalization of adult use cannabis in New Mexico. There are competing bills in the House and Senate, known as the Cannabis Regulation Act (in the House it is House Bill 2, and in the Senate, Senate Bill 3). Both are being treated very differently, with HB 2 getting two committee assignments and SB 3 being sent straight to the Senate Floor. There is also a separate bill, Senate Bill 2, which deals with expungement of some cannabis-related crimes, if SB 3 or HB 2 were to pass. And, there are also pieces of the cannabis legalization in the so-called Feed Bill, House Bill 1. Additional appropriations were included to pay for aspects of running the legal cannabis market, again should HB 2 or SB 3 pass. That led to a lot of debate about whether or not it was right to be discussing these things before a legal market is even approved.

Our “Growing Forward” team breaks it all down for you, as it stands right now. We’ll be back again tomorrow night with another recap of day 2. And be sure to check in on co-host Andy Lyman’s latest reporting over at New Mexico Political Report. 

Episode Music:

Christian Bjoerklund – “Hallon”

Poddington Bear – “Good Times”

Growing Forward Logo Created By:Katherine Conley 

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“Growing Forward” is a collaboration between New Mexico Political Report and New Mexico PBS.

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This segment is part of our #YourNMGov project, in collaboration with KUNM radio. Support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.