TRENTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- New Jersey's effort to legalize recreational marijuana hit a hurdle on Friday amid disagreement between lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy over penalties for underage use, according to a report.
The New Jersey Senate was set to vote on a bill that included penalties for underage marijuana use on Monday, but that vote was canceled on Friday afternoon after some senators said they opposed it, NJ.com reported.
State Sen. Nicholas Scutari sponsored the "cleanup" bill "to address Murphy's call to add penalties for underage use of marijuana," the outlet reported.
Murphy "has declined to sign bills passed last month to legalize and decriminalize weed without changes that enact penalties for those under 21 caught with marijuana," according to the outlet.
Scutari on Friday told the outlet he would take his name off the cleanup bill and called on Murphy to either veto or sign a previous bill passed in December.
In a statement, state Assemblyman Jamel Holley told the outlet Murphy "proposed legislation that will disproportionately and unfairly hurt communities of color."
"The governor can't hold legislation hostage in an effort to further target over-policed communities and place a de facto tax on poor people whose children may suffer from drug abuse and addiction," Holley said. "This proposal is regressive, draconian and ethically perverse."
A spokesperson for Murphy declined to comment on the matter, the outlet reported.
