DOVER, Del. - The Delaware Senate voted Tuesday in favor of both HB1 and HB2, two bills that would pave the way for legalized marijuana use for adults in Delaware. HB1 would allow for adults to possess up to one ounce of cannabis. HB2 would establish the regulatory framework for sales of cannabis.
Both bills previously passed the Delaware House of Representatives. Now that they’ve cleared the Senate, they will go to Governor John Carney’s desk for his signature. Carney became the first Democratic Governor to veto legal cannabis legalization in 2022, with the House of Representatives unable to override his veto. It is not yet clear if he will make a similar decision this time. Both chambers of the legislature boast a majority that could allow an override if he does, however.
In a statement released just after the Senate vote, Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long said, “I have been a longtime advocate for legalizing marijuana in Delaware and as a member of the General Assembly, I voted for both medical and de-criminalization legislation. Moving forward, we need to avoid mistakes made in other states and regulate marijuana properly to keep it out of the hands of our children, to ensure product and workplace safety and to also ensure fairness for businesses and for the medical use of marijuana.”
If Carney does sign the bills into law, Delaware will join 21 other states that have already passed laws allowing cannabis use for adults.