NH Journal writes
The push to have New Hampshire join the rest of New England and pass a recreational marijuana bill began with enthusiasm in the state House and opposition in the state Senate. But when a compromise emerged from the Conference of Committee, it was the House that killed a Senate-passed deal.
“This is how it is with politicians,” House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) told NHJournal regarding the doomed marijuana vote. “Bitch and bitch until they have the opportunity to actually do something, and then choke.”
Legal weed was just one of several high-profile bills that were pushed through the GOP-controlled Senate only to die in the chaos of a House where the GOP has a “MINO:” Majority In Name Only.
For example, a Republican bill banning sanctuary cities in the Granite State went down in flames on Thursday, as did expanding access to pro-school choice Education Freedom Accounts.
The last day of the 2024 legislative calendar began on a promising note for GOP leaders when the Senate held its final vote on a proposed crackdown on sanctuary cities and voted 14-10 along party lines to advance the measure to the House. Voting results were the same in the Senate for almost every other item on Republicans’ agenda.
Yet the House was where Republican dreams for a successful legislative session went to die, as even legislation in line with GOP Gov. Chris Sununu’s stated requirements (state-run franchise model, regulated by the Liquor Commission, with a 15-store cap) for legalizing marijuana sales was nixed on a 178-173 vote to table the bill.
“House Democrats killed cannabis,” Sen. Daryl Abbas (R-Salem) told NHJournal.
“The House Democrats who campaign on supporting recreational cannabis voted against it so they can continue campaigning on this issue. Clearly, they are not interested in delivering results or being honest with their base.”
Anti-legalization proponents rejoiced over the disfunction.
“Today is a victory for public health and safety, even if New Hampshire legislators were only battling over which legalization model they preferred,” said former Rep. Sue Homola (R-Hollis), New Hampshire chair for the anti-pot advocacy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. “Commercialization of marijuana will only make New Hampshire’s drug problem worse, and any new drug addiction tax will not help to fund our state.”
