The Latest: House delays action on marijuana bill

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Latest on Vermont marijuana legalization bill (all times local):

9:00 p.m.

The Vermont House has put off action on a Senate-passed bill to legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in the state.

The bill had been on the House calendar for debate Monday, but lawmakers decided to delay action until Tuesday.

Compromise language is expected to be offered to double the amount considered decriminalized from 1 ounce to 2. However, key legislative leaders say they do not believe they can muster enough support in the House for the Senate-passed bill.

Separately, the House overwhelmingly voted to expand the medical marijuana bill to cover patients with glaucoma and chronic pain.

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3:40 p.m.

Key leaders in the Vermont House say they don’t think there are enough votes to pass marijuana legalization this year.

Leaders of the Democratic majority say there may be support for a compromise that would lessen penalties for up to two ounces of possession, and up to two plants being grown in someone’s home. But they say full legalization, which passed the Senate, will not pass the House.

The compromise language also would call for a commission to study how Vermont should pursue legalization in the coming years.

Work is underway to put the issue on the ballot in Maine and Massachusetts in November. Vermont doesn’t have a ballot initiative as a method of passing laws.

Some lawmakers are discussing putting the issue to a nonbinding referendum in November.