Nevada Governor Pledges Marijuana Tax Dollars For Schools In State Of State Address

The governor of Nevada said on Tuesday that his budget proposal contains provisions to keep marijuana tax revenue flowing to schools in the state.

Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) discussed his fiscal plan during a State of the State address, saying it “ensures marijuana tax dollars will continue to fund education, to ensure districts can meet the needs of students during the pandemic and beyond.”

My budget also ensures marijuana tax dollars will continue to fund education, to ensure districts can meet the needs of students during the pandemic and beyond. #NVSOTS

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) January 20, 2021

“The 2019 Legislature approved SB 545 which requires the proceeds of the 10% excise tax imposed on recreational sales of marijuana products to be deposited to the [Distributive School Account],” the governor’s budget says. “This new education funding did not offset general fund and was placed in the account as an enhancement. This is continued in the 2021-2023 budget.”

Watch the governor talk about marijuana revenue and education below: 

For fiscal year 2021, Nevada had already taken in more than $36 million in cannabis tax revenue as of September.

Sisolak has also committed to promoting equity and justice in the state’s marijuana law. Last year, for example, he pardoned more than 15,000 people who were convicted for low-level cannabis possession.

That action was made possible under a resolution the governor introduced that was unanimously approved by the state’s Board of Pardons Commissioners.

Sisolak isn’t the first governor to bring up marijuana policy during their annual address this year.

In his State of the State speech last week, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) reaffirmed his commitment to passing legislation to get a legal marijuana market up and running after voters approved a legalization referendum in November.

Also last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) discussed the need to legalize marijuana in 2021 during his State of the State address.

In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) also talked about his intent to work with lawmakers to enact legalization during his State of the Commonwealth address earlier this month.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said in his State of the Commonwealth address that “it is time to legalize medical marijuana.”

In Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said during his State of the Commonwealth speech that cannabis criminalization was intentionally set up “generations ago” to discriminate against people of color, and he called for legalization.

Also, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) released her agenda for this year’s session, and part of her plan to bolster the economy and increase revenue to the state is to enact a legal cannabis market.

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