Pandemic relief, push for recreational marijuana among governor's priorities for legislative session

• Pandemic relief for small businesses
• Reforming the state's liquor license program to allow restaurants and eateries to offer alcohol delivery.
• Legalize adult-use recreational cannabis
• Fund the Opportunity Scholarship at $22 million. The governor says it will benefit up to 30,000 students.
• Budgeting $4 million for a pilot project to target four-year degree-seeking students who previously received the Lottery Scholarship and lost eligibility but have one or two semesters left to complete their degree.
• Providing for a 1% distribution of the state’s multi-billion dollar Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood education, which requires voter approval.
• Acknowledge and reduce institutional racism within government:
  • With the support of the Governor’s Council for Racial Justice, enact Sen. Linda Lopez’s previous legislation that addressed equity and antiracism in hiring, retention, pay equity, accountability in government and more.
  • The Council for Racial Justice, which has met regularly since August, has also endorsed the proposal to pull a percentage of funding from the Land Grant Permanent Fund, among other proposals, including the establishment of a race equity director in the Governor’s Office.
• Creating a Clean Fuel Standard

The legislative session begins Jan. 19.

Click here to read a detailed breakdown of the governor's priorities.