Recreational marijuana 10 votes from approval

Democrats need about 10 votes to approve recreational marijuana this year. Democrats need about 10 votes to approve recreational marijuana this year. Photo: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press Photo: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Recreational marijuana 10 votes from approval 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Democrats need at least 10 more votes to pass recreational marijuana this year, legislative sources say.

Gov. Ned Lamont isn’t giving up on legalizing recreational cannabis this year, but he’s also not making it a priority as he focuses on getting tolls through the legislature by closing time on June 5.

The marijuana debate differs from the fight over tolls in one key way: Lamont is making tolls the centerpiece of his economic plan, complete with arm-twisting behind closed doors. By contrast, neither Lamont nor top legislative leaders are leaning hard on lawmakers to vote for legalized ganja.

“I think the legislature is taking more of the lead on that,” Lamont said Wednesday. “I’ll report back. I don’t want to leave that to the black market.”

That doesn’t mean it’s not the subject of horse-trading, but opposing adult nonmedical retail sales — or voting for it, among Republicans — isn’t going to land a lawmaker in the doghouse the way tolls will. As a conscience vote, it can collect some Republican support, but as one Democrat said, proponents aren’t counting on that.

They are counting likely votes, which break down as follows according to Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden: In the House, 66 Democrats solidly in favor; nine against; and 16 on the fence. The Senate likely has the votes to get legal weed across the finish line, even with some negotiations expected, so the onus is on the House.

To win, supporters need at least 10 of those 16, or Republicans to replace Democratic naysayers. There are rumors about a couple of GOP supporters but no one in the minority party has declared public support.

House Majority Leader Matt Ritter said, to his knowledge, there is still not one Republican vote in favor of legalization, which would ease the burden on swaying some of the Democrats on the fence.

“No one wants to engage,” Ritter said. “Whatever happened to the libertarian moderate Connecticut Republican? Because it would be nice to have some of their votes on this issue.”

For those undecided Democrats, their concerns run the gamut from age restrictions, the inability to test drivers, expunged records for those who’ve been convicted of a marijuana-related felony, and where revenues would be targeted.

That means getting to a final piece of legislation will be a balancing act to keep both the moderate and progressive edges of the majority party satisfied, while at the same time pushing hard on higher priority issues in the final month of the session.

Rep. Joe Verrengia, D-West Hartford, chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee and a former cop, is undecided how he will vote on legalizing marijuana.

“The main concern that I have from a public safety standpoint with respect to marijuana is the driving piece of it, the drugged driving,” he said. “Law enforcement in general with its technology is not caught up to the extent that it needs to be with respect to the detection piece.”

As for whether legalization could be implemented as part of the overall budget bill, it’s unlikely so don’t count on seeing it there.

“I think that would be hard,” said House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin. “It’s a plus and minus situation, where you have some people who are no’s on that particular issue but would be a yes on the budget overall. For us to do that as leaders, it’s a pretty complex piece of the puzzle. You can put some enabling language, if we did do it, into the budget. But to put a straight up or down vote on that is tough.”

Emilie Munson and Dan Haar contributed to this story.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt