The Legislature defied Gov. Chris Christie’s latest compromise on New Jersey’s medical marijuana law today, voting to repeal the governor’s rules and requiring the administration to rewrite the regulations. The Senate voted, 22-16, to send the state health department back to the drawing board, giving the Christie administration 30 days to rewrite the rules that now would limit the potency of the drug that could be sold.

Hours after the vote on Sen. Nicholas Scutari’s resolution, the Union County Democrat introduced a new measure demanding the Attorney General rewrite its rules regarding physicians who prescribe marijuana to their patients. The Attorney General’s rules are so strict, Scutari said, that they would discourage many doctors from participating, a possibility he called "chilling." Scutari then called upon the Christie administration to work toward "a real compromise so people who want to be in the business, and sick people who desperately need this medicine can get together in a way that is legal and viable.’’

Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor, called Scutari’s "transparent maneuvering pure and simple politics.’’ "It is truly unfortunate that the senator will now further delay providing patients in need with the critical relief already achieved by Governor Christie and Assemblyman (Reed) Gusciora’s bipartisan solution,’’ Drewniak said. "Senator Scutari’s current objections were not even addressed in the original bill" he sponsored.