(The Center Square) – New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has had a busy week signing over a dozen bills, including efforts to establish a commission to study state-controlled sale of cannabis, legislation to strengthen mental health services and creating an avenue for municipalities to expand clean and affordable energy opportunities.
Sununu signed House Bill 611, giving a green light in the first steps to legalize the sale of marijuana. The governor, who has opposed the retail sales of cannabis in the past, offered a compromise to supporters of the legislation. The commission will include five House members and five Senate members will study sales to be made through state-run establishments – similar to the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.
The governor stressed the importance of safe regulation, prioritizing the elimination of negative impacts on Granite State youth.
“New Hampshire has an opportunity to safely regulate the sale of marijuana with a model few others can provide,” said Sununu. “By establishing a commission to study state-controlled sales, this bill will bring stakeholders from across New Hampshire together to ensure that preventing negative impacts upon kids remains our number one priority.”
Many supporters of efforts to legalize marijuana show signs of opposition to a state-run cannabis sale. An informal poll by the New Hampshire Cannabis Association shows overwhelming resistance to the model.
In addition to the cannabis legislation, Sununu signed Senate Bill 85 into law to establish a commission to study programs involving behavioral health issues and would limit pre-authorization requirements to receive mental health services.
The legislation creates a centralized call center staffed by clinicians to provide crisis intervention, mobile crisis response teams and crisis stabilization programs to provide short-term observation and stabilization services in a non-hospital environment.
“New Hampshire is committed to pursuing every avenue to build a stronger mental health system of care that provides Granite Staters with supports in moments of crisis and beyond,” said the governor. “This bill does just that, while ensuring the mental health community remains directly involved in crafting solutions.”
Lastly, Sununu signed House Bill 281, which received bipartisan, unanimous support to enable municipalities to become more energy independent, ultimately lowering costs and improving the environment.
“New Hampshire can’t solve the national energy crisis alone, but by expanding opportunities for municipalities to promote clean energy development, streamline government, and make it easier for new projects to come online, the Granite State is doing our part to build a more sustainable grid with lower costs for ratepayers,” said Sununu.
