House Lawmakers will vote Thursday on a new version of the law governing recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts.
Marijuana sales would see a 28 percent tax under the Legislature’s plan, up from an effective tax of 12 percent under the law voters approved in November.
The bill released by the Marijuana Policy Committee would also set up a five-member Cannabis Commission selected by the governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.
The Commission would be required to vet applications for retail shops no later than May of next year, so sales could begin as early as next summer.
Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who lobbied lawmakers to allow her to retain the current law’s sole authority over the commission, was initially critical of the bill Tuesday evening.
“While we are still reviewing all the details of the bill, it is apparent that this structure does not provide operational authority or accountability within the Treasurer’s office, which we believe is critical to have a safe, secure, and efficient implementation,” Goldberg spokeswoman Chandra Allard told WGBH News.
credit:news.wgbh.org
