Delaware House lawmakers voted on Thursday to pass the second half of the latest effort to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.
The bill would effectively regulate and tax marijuana like alcohol, but also require creating a separate Office of Marijuana Control within Delaware’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
It would impose a 15 percent marijuana control enforcement fee on recreational marijuana sales, directing roughly half of that revenue to criminal justice reform efforts like diversion or expungement programs. In addition to creating 30 retail licenses for dispensaries, the bill would reserve some licenses for entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities and local microbusinesses, offering technical assistance and reduced fees to encourage those businesses to secure a foothold in Delaware’s potential recreational marijuana industry.
Bill sponsor Ed Osienki (D-Newark) has worked on versions of the legislation for six years. During Thursday’s House floor debate, his Republican colleagues like state Rep. Jeff Spiegelman (R-Clayton) commended him for adjusting the bill to reflect their concerns during many rounds of negotiation.
“I had numerous issues with this piece of legislation, and you incorporated so much into this legislation that I’m not sure I could vote no and look at myself in the mirror afterwards," Spiegelman said.
The bill passed 27-13, receiving unanimous support from Democrats and two votes from Republicans, meeting the three-fifths majority needed for bills that impact state revenues.
