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A few weeks ago, we wrote that “political support for legalizing recreational cannabis in Rhode Island may finally be reaching a critical mass.” It seems our prediction was premature and it is becoming more likely that the General Assembly may not pass a bill before the close of its legislative session around the end of June.
What changed? Several things seem to be holding up approval. First, there are competing bills in the Rhode Island Senate from Governor McKee and Senate leadership, and the parties have yet to reconcile the bills and work out a satisfactory compromise. In addition, House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi recently stated legalization is “inevitable” but that he is “unsure” that legalization would happen this year. At the same time, the business community is concerned that the bills proposed so far do not adequately protect employers and the workplace.