State Senator Ronald Rice (D-28) said he wants the Office of Legislative Services to prepare a racial impact statement for Senate Bill S2703, the bill to legalize recreational marijuana in the state of New Jersey, and amendments. 

According to state law, any bill, resolution, or amendment that may result in an increase or decrease in the State’s adult and juvenile pretrial detention, sentencing, probation, or parole populations must have a Racial; Impact Statement prior to passage of the bill. 

“Marijuana-related arrests of African-Americans and Hispanics teenagers increased 29% and 58% following legalization in Colorado, “ said Rice, “Washington D.C. saw public consumption and distribution arrests nearly triple after legalization, and a disproportionate number of those arrests were African-Americans. I sincerely believe that this bill is going to have a tremendous negative impact, particularly among communities of color and for that reason, the racial impact statement is extremely important.”