Top lawmaker pushes for no cannabis for off-duty cops

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Apr 15, 2022 View in browser   By Jonathan Custodio New Jersey is less than a week away from the commencement of recreational cannabis sales, but one high-ranking lawmaker still thinks there are some kinks to iron out. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) wrote in a tweet today he's hopeful the law can be modified to match all the other states that have zero tolerance for use of off-duty cannabis by police," adding the drug's long duration in a person's system could subject officers to "never ending lawsuits & questioning of their judgments." In a memo sent to law enforcement officials Wednesday, Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin said departments "may not take any adverse action against any officers because they do or do not use cannabis off-duty," under New Jersey's cannabis legalization law passed last year. Platkin emphasized there should be "zero tolerance" for cannabis use but drew a distinction between obtaining the drug legally and purchasing it through the black market, with the latter disallowed. Platkin also noted that law enforcement agencies can use drug tests to evaluate if an officer is under the influence of cannabis. Still, several lawmakers including Sarlo, state Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union), and Assemblymember Beth Sawyer (R-Gloucester) have pointed out THC's detectability in some users' systems for weeks after consumption can make unclear if an officer is truly under the influence, as well as the New Jersey's lack of adopted standards for drug testing. Sarlo, who chairs the budget committee, told POLITICO's Matt Friedman that his focus remains on the state budget at the moment and that he has not yet discussed the potential legislation with Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union). HAPPY FRIDAY AFTERNOON — Hi there, I'm Jonathan Custodio, new Playbook PM author for the next few months. I've covered the 2021 race for mayor and comptroller in New York City, world and national security issues and energy policy at POLITICO. I'm excited to helm this newsletter. You can send eastern goldfinch photos to jcustodio@politico.com. We're here with the latest from Trenton and elsewhere as New Jersey moves ahead in the budget process and the Legislature conducts hearings on Gov. Phil Murphy's spending plan. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY IT'S STILL FILING SEASON — Tax revenues are strong for March, totaling more than 25 percent above last March, according to the state Treasury Department. Revenues last month for the major taxes totaled $3.55 billion, up $732 million from last March. Fiscal year-to-date, total collections of $29.4 billion are up $5.09 billion. That's 20.9 percent more than for the same nine months last year. Treasury said March tax collections are "artificially elevated to a certain degree" because revenues last March were lower because of the extended May income tax filing deadline. The department also has cautioned that revenue growth will slow in the coming months. Strong revenues will give lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy even more leeway in budget negotiations. The nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services has estimated that revenues over two fiscal years could be $3.2 billion above what the treasury has estimated. — Katherine Landergan COVID NUMBERS — Confirmed cases of Covid-19 continue to increase in the Garden State. New Jersey reported 15 confirmed deaths and 1,990 positive cases Friday , a 31 percent increase from a week ago and a 135 percent increase from a month ago. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the first Covid-19 breathalyzer that can provide results in less than three minutes under the oversight of a licensed health care professional. Around New Jersey "Detective gets $730K in settlement after accusing N.J. town, police chief of discrimination," by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas: "A lawsuit filed by a detective alleging his police chief and the town discriminated against him due to a medical condition ended in a $730,000 settlement last July, NJ Advance Media has learned." "Richard Taylor, who was a detective and police officer in Voorhees at the time of the alleged incidents, accused Police Chief Louis Bordi and the town in 2019 of violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination as well as his constitutional right to privacy." "N.J. tackles barriers to critical services for hard of hearing with $944K in county grants," by The Record's Gene Myers: "Barriers prevent New Jerseyans with hearing impairments from getting critical emergency and health information and taking part in community programs. "That's why the state's Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing asked counties to look at their libraries, police stations and government buildings to find inequities and ways to fix them." "The list of programs people are unable to access without help from others is a long one that includes counseling and health services, programs for veterans and seniors, community planning and more, according to the division." "The state this week announced $944,000 in grants to 13 counties – including Passaic, Essex and Hudson – that applied for a newly implemented program to help tackle the problems." "Another offshore wind manufacturer for N.J.? It depends," by NJ Spotlight News' Tom Johnson: "The Murphy administration's case for New Jersey to be a major wind energy hub could get a boost from a proposal to build the state's first manufacturing facility for offshore wind cables along the Delaware River in Gloucester County." "Located at the 1,600-acre Repauno Port and Rail Terminal in Greenwich Township, the proposed project by Rise Light & Power and Delaware River Partners LLC could result in hundreds of temporary and full-time jobs, company officials say. Delaware River Partners (DRP) is the owner of the port, formerly the home of a DuPont manufacturing facility that is being redeveloped as a multi-use port." "The proposal, however, is not assured. It is tied to Rise's separate proposal to use a 26-acre site of a former coal plant in South Amboy as a central interconnection point to deliver power from offshore wind farms along the Jersey coast to the New Jersey electric grid." "Howell Dems file suit to boot two GOP council candidates from ballot," by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: "Howell Democrats filed suit yesterday to block two Republican candidates for Howell Township Council, Fred Gasior and Susan Fischer, from reaching the June primary ballot after neither submitted enough valid signatures on their nominating petitions. Gasior originally submitted 50 signatures and Fischer 52; in each case, enough were determined to be invalid to push them below the required 50 signatures. Acting Howell Municipal Clerk Allison Ciranni approved the two candidates anyways, however, because a third Republican candidate running on the same party-endorsed slate, Ian Nadel, turned in 80." Odds and ends — Former Gov. Chris Christie was on hand to see the unveiling of legendary New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver's statue. — About 1,300 Paterson employees are getting an extra $2 million for working in-person during the peak of the pandemic — A former postal worker from Irvington admits to illegally obtaining $29,000 in unemployment benefits from stolen mail.   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  California Playbook PM  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  New York Playbook PM View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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