Lt. Gov. John Rodgers is lobbying hard for a cannabis bill that would slash licensing fees for growers such as him while doubling them for large indoor growers — his main competitors. The bill would trim $4,000 from the annual state fee that his Glover weed business pays. His advocacy has given some of his former Senate colleagues pause.
Sen. Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor) said it is common for part-time lawmakers to debate and even vote on bills that might address some aspect of their profession and benefit them indirectly. "But they don't necessarily directly benefit," Clarkson said this week. "In this case, John will directly benefit from it as an individual craft grower, and that is a little awkward."
Rodgers defended his testimony in support of H.321 as appropriate given his knowledge of the industry, support as a senator for the 2018 bill that legalized recreational use and the fact that he is unlikely to vote on the bill. While the lieutenant governor casts tie-breaking votes in the Senate, that's rare.
"My whole time advocating for this is to try to keep the small craft grower in Vermont in business, because those are the ones we want producing," Rodgers said. "There's not a single thing in that legislation or any of my proposals that is just for me."
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