RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Some North Carolina legislators voted twice this week at an appropriate time — 4:20 p.m. — for legislation that would legalize marijuana for medical use in the state.
The state Senate voted 36-10 on Wednesday for the second day in a row. The bill would create a structure to identify qualifying patients and license those who would cultivate and sell cannabis.
Roll-call documents show senators voted on the bill and at exactly 4:20 p.m. on both days. The number “420†makes a reference to April 20, which is also known as “420 Day,â€
Republican Sen. Bill Rabon, the bill’s chief sponsor and the Senate’s Rules Committee chairman, said Tuesday’s vote at 4:20 p.m. wasn’t deliberate, attributing it more to happenstance.
On Wednesday, however, he said it was in the back of his mind. The session was called to order a few minutes before 4:20 p.m., and Rabon didn't debate the bill: “I was watching the clock.â€
Senate leader Phil Berger, who sits at the same desk as Rabon on the floor, said Rabon learned over to him on Wednesday and said: “'We're going to do it at 4:20 again today.'" Berger said he had little idea about what “420†meant.
It’s common for the Senate to hold voting sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. And the agendas were light both days this week.
The measure now goes to the House, which declined in 2022 to take up a nearly identical measure the Senate approved then. But House Speaker Tim Moore has said there's some support within his chamber for the idea this year.
