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It’s crunch time for legal pot in New Jersey. So says the Garden State’s top-ranking state lawmaker.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney said Thursday he’s hoping to finally hold a vote this month on a long-debated — and long-delayed — bill to legalize recreational marijuana here.

Waiting any longer, Sweeney said, will likely make it harder for the measure to pass.

“It’s really important that we get this thing done this month,” Sweeney, D-Gloucester, told NJ Advance Media in an interview at the Statehouse in Trenton.

"The time to get it done is now,” he said.

One issue: Top lawmakers have yet to formally introduce the bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax the possession of small amounts of marijuana for people 21 and older in New Jersey.

Sources said last month that the three Democrats who lead the state — Sweeney, state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Gov. Phil Murphy — ended months of disagreement by reaching a deal on what the bill would look like.

But Sweeney said there is still one issue holding the legislation up. He wouldn’t reveal what.

Once the bill is introduced, both houses of the Democratic-controlled Legislature — the Senate and Assembly — would need to pass it before Murphy could sign it into law.

Still, it’s unclear if there are enough votes in either chamber to pass the measure. Sweeney said “there’s a path” to the 21 votes needed in the Senate, but he needs Murphy’s help to drum up support from lawmakers on the fence.

That means Sweeney and Coughlin, D-Middlesex, would be up against the clock to get a vote done by the end of March. As of now, the Senate has a voting session on March 14, and both houses have scheduled sessions for March 25.

Coughlin’s office was less keen Thursday to call for a quick vote. His spokesman, Kevin McArdle, said the speaker is discussing the bill with his fellow Assembly Democrats to “address any concerns” and ensure the final measure is “responsible.”

“Getting the final bill right is far more important than getting it done quickly,” McArdle said.

Sweeney has missed a few self-imposed deadlines for a legal weed vote over the last year. But this time, he said, is more dire.

The Senate president said the March target is key because April is filled with holidays and lawmakers often take their vacations at that time, while May is cloudy because that’s when negotiations over the state budget ramp up.

“That can create some mischief,” Sweeney said, referencing how lawmakers could try to trade their vote to receive funding for something they want.

Sweeney admitted they could hold a vote in the summer or during the lame-duck session after November’s elections. But he stressed he doesn’t want to wait that long.

“This is the ideal time to get it done,” he said.

Gov. Murphy shakes the hand of Sen. President Stephen Sweeney as he enters the Assembly chamber. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gives his budget address for Fiscal Year 2020 in the Assembly Chamber at the Statehouse in Trenton. Tuesday March, 5, 2019. Trenton, NJ, USA (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media)NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

There has been chatter about asking New Jersey voters whether to legalize marijuana in a ballot referendum if there aren’t enough votes to get it done legislatively.

But Sweeney considers that a last resort because a public vote could be unpredictable, even though polls show a majority of New Jerseyans support legal weed.

Sweeney said this November wouldn’t work for a referendum because Assembly seats top the ticket and will likely draw a low turnout.

Turnout would likely be higher in next year’s elections with a presidential race topping the ticket. But Sweeney said that’s too long to wait.

Murphy called on lawmakers Tuesday to move on legal pot as he introduced his second state budget proposal, which includes $80 million in tax revenue from marijuana.

“I know we’re not across the finish line yet, but we are closer than ever before,” Murphy said in his address.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

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