Mike D'Agostino

The legislature's General Law Committee recently held a public hearing on House Bill 5458, "An Act Concerning the Regulation of the Retail Sale of Marijuana." The legislation seeks to outline the definitions necessary for the legal cultivation, distribution, retail sales and consumer use of marijuana.

The General Law Committee is tasked with "addressing how we would do it, rather than if we should do it," said state Rep. Mike D'Agostino, House chairman of the committee.

HB 5458 is just one of three bills that would legalize marijuana and regulate its retail sale. The Judiciary Committee is slated to hear public testimony on Senate Bill 487, which would legalize the possession, cultivation and sale of limited amounts of marijuana. A bill that would create a tax system for marijuana sales is also expected to come before the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

Read more about the committee's public hearing in the March 15, 2018 edition of The Hartford Courant.