State 'close' to marijuana legalization, Assembly speaker says

Supporters believe cannabis legalization will pass as a stand-alone bill outside of the annual budget, which is due April 1.The state Legislature is close to a deal on legalizing marijuana for recreational, adult use in New York, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Monday, with lawmakers now trying to move on the issue in the next two weeks. Heastie, a Democrat from The Bronx, said Democrats, who control both chambers of the Legislature, are near an agreement, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears to be