In reversal, R.I. lawmakers abandon attempt to regulate medical marijuana outlets

The House and Senate passed identical bills in unanimous votes, removing the “legislative veto” language over medical marijuana and hemp regulations that was included in this year’s state budget. There was no debate.

Rhode Island lawmakers voted Tuesday to give back the final say over state cannabis regulations that they gave themselves last summer, backing down from a power struggle with Gov. Gina Raimondo’s over the licensing of six new medical marijuana dispensaries.

The House and Senate passed identical bills in unanimous votes, removing the “legislative veto” language over medical marijuana and hemp regulations that was included in this year’s state budget. There was no debate.

The bills now go to Raimondo, who will probably sign them Wednesday, her spokesman Josh Block said.

Left out of the bills passed Tuesday were provisions in the original legislation — introduced by House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio — that would have explicitly given new dispensaries the ability to grow their own product. Raimondo’s proposed regulations for the new dispensaries would make them retail only, unlike the state’s three existing dispensaries, which are allowed to grow their products.

Mattiello and Ruggerio called Raimondo’s restrictions on new dispensaries — including the ban on growing — a “blatant overreach” of her power. [Read More @ Providence Journal]