NY Marijuana Legalization Hinges On Democrats Winning In November

Governor Andrew Cuomo delivers remarks at a ROC the Riverway event in Rochester.

Governor Andrew Cuomo will convene a group of experts and state officials to begin drafting legislation to legalize marijuana in New York. According to a press release from the governor's office, the legislation would be considered "in the upcoming session."

Legislation that would legalize weed already exists, and is sponsored by Buffalo Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Manhattan Democratic Senator Liz Krueger; Cuomo has charged the working group to "engage" with Krueger and Peoples-Stokes, along with others.

Cuomo's penchant for replacing others' marijuana legislation with his own aside, whether marijuana legalization would pass the state legislature depends on whether Democrats can regain a majority in the State Senate. Right now, Cuomo and the Senate Democrats can't even shame the Republicans—who hold their one-seat majority thanks to Brooklyn Democrat Simcha Felder—into coming back to Albany to reauthorize speed cameras in New York City school zones, or codify Roe v. Wade into state law.

City & State lists Felder's race in the 17th District as a "wild card," as he is being challenged by attorney Blake Morris.

Another "toss up" is in Nassau County's 7th District, where Republican incumbent Elaine Phillips has two challengers, Brad Schwartz and Anna Kaplan. Kaplan has Cuomo's endorsement, and now, Barack Obama's.

Governor Cuomo has mostly enabled Senate Republicans in the past, using the legislature's deadlock to bolster his reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker. This spring he oversaw the return of the Independent Democratic Conference members to the mainline Democrats, but many of them are still facing fierce challenges from the left.

"You either come back and protect a woman's right to choose and respect a woman's reproductive health rights, or the voters of this state are going to say to you in November, 'You're with Trump? Well you're fired from the New York State Senate,'" Cuomo told a crowd last month.

On Wednesday the Times reported that Cuomo is likely going to appear on the Independence Party's ballot line, along with Republicans that the conservative third-party has endorsed. (The Independence Party is infamous for netting confused voters who seek to register as independents.)

Cuomo's appearance on the ballot next to the Republicans endorsed by the party may help their chances of winning, a point deemed "absurd" by a spokesperson for the governor's campaign, given that other Democrats such as Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand also have the Independence Party's endorsement.

Spokespeople for Governor Cuomo's executive office, and his campaign, did not return our requests for comment.