Plenty of towns and cities across New Jersey have adopted their own ordinances blocking sales of recreational marijuana within their borders, even before voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing for a legal adult-use market.

None of those local bans actually matter, according to the current proposed state law that outlines how the marketplace will eventually run.

Lawmakers took another step toward decriminalizing the possession of marijuana Thursday, moving quickly after New Jersey voters last week came out in favor of legalization.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced the bill (S2535), which would legalize possession of up to six ounces of marijuana and make distribution of one ounce a civil penalty.

Legislation to set up New Jersey's recreational marijuana industry is getting fast-tracked in the Democrat-led Legislature, with Assembly and Senate committees set to take up legislation on Thursday.

The 216-page measure comes just over a week after New Jersey's voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational cannabis for people 21 and older.

MORRISTOWN — Municipalities are getting ready to deal with what's expected to be a "fast-growing" industry now that recreational marijuana has been approved by more than half of the state's voters.

The success of legalizing weed in ballot questions last week in New Jersey and elsewhere has buoyed the hopes of supporters of legal cannabis that Congress will finally take action.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday named two appointees to a commission that will oversee the new legal marijuana industry in New Jersey.

The chair of the commission will be Dianna Houenou, associate counsel and senior policy adviser to the governor. She previously served as policy counsel for the ACLU-NJ.