Push for marijuana legalization falls flat in New York

ALBANY, N.Y. — A push to legalize recreational marijuana in New York state has fallen flat.

The sponsor of the main legalization bill in the state Senate says the bill will not pass before lawmakers adjourn for the year this week.

Manhattan Democrat Liz Krueger says supporters came close to “crossing the finish line” but ran out of time.

Sticking points included how pot tax revenue should be spent, whether past pot convictions should be expunged and whether local communities could opt out of hosting dispensaries, or instead would have to opt in.

With lawmakers set to adjourn this week, some supporters hope there’s time to pass a more modest bill to eliminate criminal penalties for possession of marijuana and create a process for people to clear their records of past pot convictions.