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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Legislation that would legalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes in North Carolina is probably dead for the rest of this year’s General Assembly session, House Speaker Tim Moore said Tuesday, citing opposition by many fellow Republicans in his chamber.
A bill that would lay out the structure for patients with serious and life-ending illnesses to lawfully obtain cannabis and smoke or consume it passed the Senate by a wide margin over four months ago. But it has idled in the House ever since, save for a committee hearing on the measure in early June.
House Republicans have debated the idea among themselves. Moore said he agreed with recent public comments from House Majority John Bell of Wayne County, who said in part there wasn’t enough support for the bill to advance further.
Moore said there’s a rule within the House Republican Caucus that a majority of its members must be willing to vote for a bill on the House floor for it to be heard — even if it could pass the 120-seat chamber with Democratic support.
Complying with the rule “would require a number of House members who’ve taken a position of ‘no’ to literally switch their position to want to vote for it, and I just don’t see that happening,” Moore told reporters.
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