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Appropriations Committee advances intoxicating‑hemp beverage bill despite law‑enforcement concerns
Summary
The committee favorably reported A5051, which expands intoxicating hemp beverage sales, after testimony from cannabis industry representatives and police chiefs who warned of enforcement gaps, youth access and packaging risks; members also advanced A5034 on state police rank.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 14 moved Assembly Bill A5051, a measure revising rules for intoxicating hemp beverages and some medical cannabis provisions, out of committee as amended after a mix of industry and public‑safety testimony.
Opponents included representatives of the regulated cannabis industry and municipal officials who argued the bill creates uneven regulatory rules that could shift sales away from the regulated cannabis market. Bill (representing the New Jersey Cannabis Association and the Conference of Mayors) said the legislation opens a pathway for higher‑THC beverages to be sold outside regulated cannabis channels and questioned why the regulated industry would not be afforded parity.
Chief Andrew Kaje, president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, told the committee he and his colleagues oppose the bill in its current form because New Jersey lacks sufficient enforcement infrastructure for intoxicating THC beverages. Kaje cited difficulty detecting THC impairment, limited Drug Recognition Expert staffing, delayed toxicology confirmation and packaging that may appeal to youth; he urged limiting THC beverage sales to licensed dispensaries, improving enforcement funding, strengthening packaging and label standards, and initiating a statewide education campaign before broader implementation.
Committee members debated municipal control and enforcement responsibility. Some members expressed concern about taking regulatory power away from local governments and asked that municipal authority be preserved. After discussion, the committee voted to report A5051 as amended to the full Assembly.
Separately, the committee considered A5034 (establishing that the superintendent of State Police hold the rank of colonel and permitting certain retirement appointment provisions). The bill was amended and favorably released with no extended debate.
What’s next: Both A5051 (as amended) and A5034 will proceed to the Assembly floor. Law‑enforcement groups asked the sponsor and staff to consider amendments addressing enforcement funding, packaging limits, and restrictions on non‑dispensary sales.
