Republican Gov. Mike Parson, photographed here in 2018, has voiced opposition to Amendment 3, saying its passage would represent a win for corporations over everyday people.
JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri lawmakers will not take up legalization of recreational marijuana when they convene at the Capitol next week: A spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that the governor will not expand the scope of his upcoming special session.
“The call will not be amended to include marijuana legalization,†Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for Parson, said in a text message on Tuesday.
Jones’ statement followed requests by some Missouri legislators on Thursday for Parson to include marijuana legalization in his upcoming special session on tax relief, scheduled to begin next week.
Lawmakers were trying to blunt momentum for Amendment 3, a legalization question that appears on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Parson, a Republican, has called the question a “disaster,†casting it as a boon for corporations over regular people.
Amendment 3 gives current medical marijuana businesses the first shot at full recreational business licenses, an element of the plan that has proven controversial amid frustration with the rollout of the state’s medical marijuana program.
But Parson’s decision not to call a special session on marijuana represents a win for the Legal Missouri 2022 campaign, which is backing Amendment 3.
John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri, in a statement applauded the governor’s decision.
“If left up to the Missouri Legislature, it would be another decade before we legalized marijuana,†he said. “Thankfully, Missourians will head to the polls in November to legalize marijuana and automatically expunge most nonviolent marijuana records through a citizen-led initiative.â€
Legal Missouri also faces a challenge from an opponent of marijuana legalization who has sued to remove the question from the Nov. 8 ballot. A trial on the challenge is scheduled to begin Thursday in Cole County.
At issue is the proposed creation of a ‘chief equity officer’ who will assist small operators get microlicenses.
Republican Gov. Mike Parson, photographed here in 2018, has voiced opposition to Amendment 3, saying its passage would represent a win for corporations over everyday people.
