By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – It took a “hot second” for the Republican majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee to recommend killing a comprehensive bill to legalize, regulate and tax the sale of cannabis in New Hampshire on Tuesday.

It passed the House on a vote of 209-135 on Jan. 7 but is getting a 2-1 vote to die on the Senate floor.

But if it survives that, a likely veto from Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte is coming to House Bill 186-FN-A sponsored by a Bethlehem Democrat.

Sue Homola, a former state representative, was the only person to testify on House Bill 186-FN-A saying the only part of the bill that was needed would be a part about prohibiting out-of-state cannabis dispensaries from advertising in New Hampshire. She noted there is one in Ossipee promoting a dispensary in Maine.

Republican Senators Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, and William Gannon, R-Sandown, opposed the bill, which was heard two and half hours after its posted time for a public hearing.

Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, said the bill was before them for “a hot second” before the majority voted to recommend the bill go away.

“I’ve seen enough,” said Gannon.

Abbas said he was concerned about impacts to property values contained in the bill.

State. Rep. Jared Sullivan, D-Bethlehem, said the bill, more than 30 pages long, gives “a really good framework,” for how this could work in the Granite State.

Noting previous efforts have failed, he said this bill does not use a liquor store-based model but an independent model and a commission to create much of the rulemaking.

There are some basic regulations in the bill, he said but more would be needed. In terms of revenue this bill would seek a 8.5 percent “rooms and meals tax and cannabis” tax and would be competitive with lower taxes than in neighboring states, including Maine which is at 14 percent.

That led senators to express concerns about the idea of “miracle miles of marijuana” along the border of other states. That would be the reverse to what is happening now, where in other states near their border with New Hampshire there are in fact marijuana miles.

“I understand this is not a popular idea among many members but it is a very popular idea with most of the  people,” Sullivan said with polls showing 70 percent support legal weed, including 55 percent of Republicans.

“I think it is time we do the work people want us to do,” Sullivan said.

“It’s an election year. Let’s consider what our constituents want,” Sullivan said.

Gannon asked if the concentration of dispensaries be limited. Sullivan said no. It would be enabling legislation allowing local communities to vote at town meetings on whether they want such businesses to exist.

But it would not limit the permits, as that would lead to corruption, he argued. He said it could be limited by zoning. In Bethlehem if the Dollar General closed down, a dispensary could go in there but under the bill he would not be able to turn his basement into a shop.

Sen. Debra Altchiller, D-Stratham, asked if this would be like Keno in terms of local control. Yes, he said, in the enabling sense.

During an executive session on the bill following the hearing, Abbas said he was concerned about unintended consequences which could lead to declining property values.

Values are based on income derived for commercial real estate areas, he said and noted pawn shops and porn stores are often located in the same building.

This could negatively impact and deter other businesses in that location, he said.