Senators spent Friday scrutinizing a 60-page piece of legislation proposed by Gov. Albert Bryan that would revise the Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act, but after eight hours of debate the lawmakers were divided as to whether the measure was ready.
Meeting as the Committee of the Whole, the Senate discussed the bill that would expand the medical marijuana program approved by the Senate and signed into law by Bryan a year and a half ago. The new bill proposes amendments to the existing act to provide better regulation, and generate tax revenue that could alleviate the impending insolvency of the Government Employee Retirement System.
Sen. Kurt Vialet said when the original act was passed by the previous Legislature and signed into law, it was under the assumption that those who needed medical cannabis would be supplied access, but the cannabis board that had 12 months to come up with policies to regulate the industry failed to do so, asking for an extension in December. This has caused senators to feel pressure to not let the process drag on.
But some committee members have been skeptical of the enhanced bill since the governor first unveiled it in December. Friday’s hearing demonstrated at least some senators remain on the fence and certain testifiers who were proponents of the bill also showed hesitation.
Barbara LaRonde, president of the V.I. National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws testified, that the legislation should be examined for social inequities and specifically address the community hardest hit by the war on drugs.
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