66°F
weather icon Windy

Marijuana tax fight kicks off with first passage of Nevada pot bill

The fight over pot taxes is officially underway in the Nevada Legislature.

With less than a month left in the session, the debate over how the state should spend cash generated by fast-approaching retail marijuana sales got off the ground Tuesday night when the Senate Committee on Revenue and Economic Development voted on party lines 4-3 to send Senate Bill 487 to the floor for a full vote.

With Tuesday’s vote, Democratic Sen. Julia Ratti’s SB 487 became the first of three proposed recreational marijuana tax bills to clear a committee.

The question remains whether Gov. Brian Sandoval, whose own SB 508 proposes a different tax structure, would be willing to sign a marijuana tax that is not his own.

Sandoval’s bill calls for a 10 percent tax on recreational marijuana. His proposed budget projects that tax to generate about $70 million over two years, with the money going into the state’s education fund.

A third bill, SB 302 from Sen. Tick Segerblom, calls for a 15 percent tax that would send more money to local governments.

Because the bills impose a new tax, a two-thirds vote is needed in both houses for them to be sent to the governor’s desk and be signed into law.

Ratti said the goal of her bill is to combine the various proposals and build “an efficient, effective taxation system.”

The amended version of SB 487 approved by the committee would put a 12 percent tax on recreational marijuana sales. Ten of the 12 percent would go to the state’s public education fund — matching Sandoval’s proposal — and the remaining 2 percent would go to a new fund, the Youth and Families Account.

The new account would help fund programs to help with “impacts of substance use on our communities,” Ratti said, and would focus on preventing substance abuse and marijuana use among youth.

Other amendments adopted into SB 487 include mirroring the taxes at the cultivation level for both medical and recreational marijuana so companies don’t have to separate and track the products separately and caps the fees local governments can place on marijuana businesses at three percent of gross revenue.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Beatty Clinic gets tons of help with new a/c

BEATTY — The Beatty Foundation, an affiliate of AngloGold-Ashanti (AGA), did tons of good at the Beatty Clinic on March 22. Nine tons, exactly.

11th Annual Chili Cook-Off brings tempting tastings and festival fun

The 11th Annual International Chili Society and Silver State Chili Cook-Off took over Petrack Park this past weekend for three days filled with savory tastings, fun and activities and of course, some intense culinary competition.

Pahrump homeschoolers dance the night away

Pahrump Valley’s homeschool youth were whisked away into the Enchanted Forest this month, with local Moose Lodge #808 hosting a night of dancing and revelry in honor of an age-old adolescent right-of-passage, prom.

Looking for some family fun for Easter? Hop over to Simkins Park

Anyone looking for a fun, family-friendly festivity to enjoy this holiday can hop on over to Simkins Park to join the Mills family as they celebrate Easter Sunday with worship music, free food and an enormous 14,000-egg hunt that is sure to bring a smile to hundreds of faces.

Campground fees to increase at Death Valley National Park

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — Visitors to Death Valley National Park can expect a slight increase in entrance fees for various campgrounds beginning on May 1.

Clerk staffer Cori Freidhof appointed interim leader

Nye County Clerk Mark Kampf’s time in office officially comes to a close on March 31 and deputy clerk Cori Freidhof has now been selected to assume that vacated seat. Freidhof will take over the office as of Monday, April 1 and fulfill the unexpired term ending Jan. 1, 2027.

Gaming can have impact on us

When does gaming cross the line from recreational relaxation to problematic behavior? How do video games and gambling relate? What resources are available for those who find themselves struggling to control their relationship with video games and gambling?

County eyeing impact fee increases

The cost to develop in Pahrump could go up, with a public hearing on a proposal to raise local impact fees set for next month.

Here’s who filed as political candidates in Nye County

Locals have filed their political candidacy as of March 15 and this year two major offices in Nye County will be up for grabs in the general election. Nye County residents have to first narrow down their preferred party candidate on June 11 in the primary and then vote in November to support their preferred candidates.