Raimondo “Pushed” by Public Safety to Introduce State-Controlled Marijuana, Addresses Opposition

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo said that it was the law enforcement community that prompted her to introduce legalized state-controlled marijuana in her Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal -- which now faces opposition.

Despite General Assembly leaders saying they are not inclined to support the proposal — and the $20 million-plus in revenue that Raimondo is banking on her budget from sales — Raimondo said Tuesday that she hopes the Assembly will listen to experts.

“That’s their decision. I have an obligation to do what I think is right,” said Raimondo. “The proposal is a new proposal, it would be the first of its kind in the country. I was kind of pushed in that direction of public safety, members of the public safety community — State Police and law officers."

After submitting her budget proposal, Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello said legalized marijuana was "not acceptable" as put forth.

“I am very concerned about her proposal to generate revenue from the sale of recreational marijuana when she was advised this would not be an acceptable policy to the General Assembly,” he said.

Despite the lack of support from leadership, Raimondo is urging the Assembly to consider the proposal.

“[The Assembly] should look at it — they should do hearings, they should listen to the experts and I hope at the end of the day they’ll enact it,” said Raimondo.

As GoLocal reported:

Raimondo is proposing in her Fiscal Year 2021 budget that there be “state control, adult-use” marijuana.

Essentially, it would be a program run by the State of Rhode Island in a manner analogous to the way New Hampshire runs its liquor stores, except “the State would contract with a third-party operator to run the day-to-day operations of the stores,” according to the Raimondo administration.

Raimondo in her budget proposal is banking on $21.8 million in revenue in the first year, in net state revenue.

One of the caveats? Adult-use marijuana home growing would be prohibited. One minor problem — it’s an election year, and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio on Thursday indicated it was “unlikely” to pass the Senate this year, creating a $21 million hole in Raimondo’s proposal from the get-go.

Related Slideshow: Raimondo’s FY21 Budget Proposal - January 2020

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