Lawmakers Uphold Maine Gov’s Veto of Pot Bill

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Legislature has upheld Republican Gov. Paul LePage's veto of a bill to regulate and tax the sale of marijuana in the state.

Lawmakers needed a two-thirds majority in both chambers Monday evening to override the veto and fell short. The result means lawmakers will have to go back to the drawing board in January to craft rules governing the sale of marijuana in Maine.

Voters legalized marijuana for recreational use in a public referendum a year ago.

The vetoed bill had aimed to establish rules for the retail sale of marijuana. It was previously approved with a veto-proof, two-thirds majority in the Senate, but not in the House. The override vote never made it out of the House on Monday.