The California Senate has approved an Assembly-passed bill put a pause on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products.
About a week after the Senate Appropriations Committee cleared the legislation from Assemblymember Matt Haney (D), the full chamber passed it on Wednesday.
Because it was amended, the measure must return to the Assembly for concurrence before it’s potentially sent to the governor’s desk.
If enacted into law, the bill would pause the tax increase for five years. Lawmakers have until September 12 to give final passage to legislation before the end of the session, and the governor will have until October 12 to take action on any measures sent to his desk.
Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (D) said ahead of the Senate vote that the marijuana legalization law approved by California voters had several goals, including to “shut down the illicit market” and “support a wide variety of environmental, social and educational programs” with tax revenue.
“That deal is fraying because the market is collapsing,” he said. “Today, legal businesses in California capture just 40 percent of the cannabis market. Sixty percent is in the illicit market, subject to no protections for consumers or for the environment.”
“California is losing
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