In the hours leading up to Ohio’s new marijuana law going into effect, Gov. Mike DeWine and Republican senators pushed a bill revising the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana. 

The Senate General Government Committee hammered out the changes Wednesday afternoon. They include:

• Possession limits that were originally spelled out in Issue 2 will not be changed: 2.5 ounces for plants and 15 grams for extracts.
  
• THC content limit for plant material will return to Issue 2 level of 35%
  
• Anyone 21 years of age or older can purchase at current marijuana dispensaries once the bill takes effect. Issue 2 required existing dispensaries to wait nine months before selling marijuana to recreational users.
  
• Automatic expungements for any conviction involving 2.5 ounces or less upon application to court
  
• Proceeds from recreational pot sales will be used for legal representation for those people seeking expungements
  
• Increase the approved tax on sale of marijuana products from 10% to 15%, but remove the proposed 15% extra tax on cultivators

As the bill headed to the Senate floor on Wednesday evening, DeWine held a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse endorsing the proposed changes.

The governor expressed concern about what would happen on Thursday once Issue 2 became law. “While it will be legal for Ohio citizens to possess marijuana, there will be no place for them to legally buy it. This bill deals with this.”

The changes cleared the full Senate by a 28-2 vote.

What comes next?

The Republican-majority House — which leans more in favor of overall recreational marijuana legalization than the Senate — still has to agree to the revision. 

The revised marijuana bill comes amid disagreement among Senate and House GOP members regarding what specific changes to make following the passage of Issue 2 by Ohio voters.

On Tuesday, Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) introduced House Bill 354, which he said mostly aligns with the will of Ohioans when they passed Issue 2 in November with 57% of the vote.

“We’ve worked with a lot of members, a lot of folks in the industry, a lot of supporters, and a lot of opponents over the last few years,” Callendar said. “And what [HB 354] is is a synthesis of all of those opinions, trying to take into account all the different positions on the issue while very much respecting the will of the voters.”

See WKYC’s coverage of the revised marijuana bill.