Gov. Gina M. Raimondo on Oct. 22 filed a lawsuit in Superior Court challenging the need for legislative approval of marijuana and hemp regulations.
The governor argues a provision of the current budget is a violation of the constitutional guarantee of the separation of powers because it gives the General Assembly the power to veto executive regulations governing marijuana and hemp.
The lawsuit claims regulatory authority for the hemp and marijuana industry belongs with the R.I. Department of Business Regulation and the R.I. Department of Health.
Democratic legislative leaders, who control both the House and Senate, responded by claiming they had already told the governor they would drop the budget provision.
Was Raimondo right to move to resolve the issue through the courts. Or should she have worked with legislative leaders to eliminate the budget provision without a potentially costly lawsuit?
