The surprise march of marijuana legalization through the Legislature is over for the session after its sponsor, Rep. Richard Nelson (R-Mandeville) tabled his bill after a related bill to set a tax rate for marijuana sales failed on the Louisiana House floor.
The final vote was 47 in favor and 48 against. Because it was a tax bill, it would have needed 70 votes to pass.
Nelson said his legalization effort would have generated a lot of revenue for the state.
"The truth is right now all this money? We have zero. It’s nothing, it’s all going to the drug dealers," said Nelson. "If we don’t pass this bill it’s going to go to the drug dealers this year, it’s going to go to the drug dealers next year, it’s probably going to go to the drug dealers the year after that."
Rep. Brian Fontenot (R-Thibodaux) led the charge against the bill on the House floor. He said we don’t know enough about the impacts of legalization yet to do it in Louisiana.
"Form a study group, have the sheriff's association and economist study where the money should go," said Fontenot. "This is not the answer."
"We love doing nothing and talking about it," Fontenot countered. "This sets up a tax, this allows us to take that revenue that is going to the drug dealers and the drug cartels, and we can use it.'
The influential Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association staunchly opposed the bill. The group said it would lead to more traffic accidents and crime.
Despite the failure of this legalization effort, the House did vote last week to decriminalize possession of a small quantity of weed. That legislation awaits a hearing in a Senate committee.