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Committee advances repeal of state's illegal-cannabis tax to tax committee
Summary
The committee recommended Senate File 209, a bipartisan bill to repeal the illegal cannabis and controlled-substance tax (chapter 297D) and remove related criminal penalties, and re‑referred it to the Senate Committee on Taxes by voice vote.
Senate File 209, which would repeal the state's illegal cannabis and controlled substance tax (chapter 297D) and remove criminal penalties tied to failure to pay that tax, was recommended to pass and re‑referred to the Senate Committee on Taxes.
Senator Grama Veredon (presenting) told the committee the tax dates to 1986 and required individuals to purchase stamps for illegal drugs from the Department of Revenue, with per-unit stamp costs ranging from $3.50 to $400. The presenter said the Department of Revenue has not collected revenue under that tax for several years (no revenue collected in 2022–2024) and that prosecutors no longer use the tax in the way it was originally intended.
The sponsor described the repeal effort as bipartisan; similar language appeared in prior sessions and the measure had GOP authors in a 2022 House file and bipartisan interest in subsequent hearings. After no public testimony, Senator Umu Verbaten moved to recommend the bill to pass and re‑refer it to the Senate tax committee; members voted by voice and the motion prevailed.
The committee record indicates the bill was forwarded to the Senate Committee on Taxes; no roll-call vote was recorded in the committee minutes.
