Cannabis Regulation Act

It is the session wrap up with executive producer Marisa Demarco. We talk a lot about the theme of transparency in government and some things that we would like to see changed in legislative structure. Be on the lookout for live events. Just because the session ended doesn't mean that our work in informing you has!

Julie Ann Grimm from the Santa Fe Reporter joins me to wrap up the week. We discuss the sexual harassment non disclosure agreement bill, budget secrecy in the senate, the new education secretary and more.

Nash Jones sits with me to discuss three important pieces of legislation: the Pregnancy Worker Accommodation Bill, the Tobacco Products Act and the Cannabis Regulation Act. Our conversation is a bit longer than we normally produce here at YNMG, but Nash has such great insight on the nuances of these bills, it makes for a great conversation.

Listen to Nash's coverage on KUNM

Pregnancy Worker Accommodation Bill 

Hemp was legalized in last year’s legislative session and this year, a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana is moving through the Legislature. The new hemp farms in New Mexico could pose a risk to outdoor marijuana crops.

Hemp and marijuana are different strains of the same plant. However, Jill Browning, chairwoman of the New Mexico Hemp Association, says the two industries differ in how they grow, produce and manufacture their products. “There is one thing that overlaps, and that is pollenization," she said.

A bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in New Mexico stalled in the Senate last year. Over the summer, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham convened a work group to study the issue and gather public comment, and the group released recommendations for legalization that—among other things—prioritized equity for people who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Rep. Javier Martínez, one of the sponsors of this year’s bill, spoke with KUNM about this year’s proposal, which passed out of the Senate Public Affairs Committee on a 4-3 party-line vote Tuesday, Jan. 28.