(RJ Sangosti, Denver Post file)

New Mexico legalization plan in limbo

SANTA FE — A proposal to allow New Mexico voters to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana stalled Friday, putting the measure in doubt — for now.

At a disjointed meeting, the Senate Rules Committee failed to debate the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow for the possession and personal use of marijuana for those 21 years of age and older.


Map — State-by-state marijuana laws


Instead, committee members got bogged down in debates over a minimum-wage proposal and a measure to change election laws.

The failure to bring up the marijuana proposal angered a handful of activists, some from out of state, who sat through the meeting for a chance to speak in support of legalizing marijuana in New Mexico.


Resources — Colorado marijuana guide: 64 of your questions, answered


The proposal’s sponsor, Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, said he hopes the committee debates the measure next week.

If not, he wasn’t sure whether there was enough time before the legislative session ends Feb. 20.

“We have a chance to get it passed,” he said. “But it’s going to take a lot of work.”

It’s unclear how much support the measure has in the Senate Rules Committee.

This story was first published on DenverPost.com