The Legislative Black Caucus stepped up its demand Wednesday for a special General Assembly session to address a lack of diversity in the medical marijuana industry, saying that failure to do so would effectively shut out African-Americans from a lucrative business.
The caucus renewed its call for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan to summon legislators back to Annapolis to approve a bill expanding the industry in a way that was likely to grant at least five new marijuana-growing licenses to minority-owned firms.
But the group added a new demand, insisting that Democratic Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch persuade a majority of the General Assembly to sign a petition recalling themselves to Annapolis to pass the caucus’s top priority this year.
If the leaders refuse, the 51-member caucus will not cooperate with Democratic leaders, caucus chair Del. Cheryl Glenn said at a news conference in Baltimore.
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