6/19/2012
By Ivan Pereira
Governor Andrew Cuomo isn’t too disappointed that his plan to decriminalize the possession of small portions of pot crashed and burned in the state Legislature.
In fact, he said Tuesday he is willing to bring it up again in the near future.
“There is a timing to these issues. People act when they are ready to act or when they need to act,” Cuomo said during a news conference.
Currently, anyone caught with 25 grams or less of marijuana in the open is hit with a misdemeanor charge. Cuomo’s bill, which had the backing of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, would have changed the penalty to a summons, the same as if someone had concealed pot.
Senate majority leader Dean Skelos said he and his fellow colleagues did not agree on the bill’s stipulations and would not bring it up this session, which ends Thursday.
Cuomo did not have any harsh words for the Skelos or his fellow senate Republicans.
“I think the Senate got a lot of blow back, pardon the pun,” he said.
