April 12th, 2017 by WCBC Radio

Black lawmakers in Maryland care calling for a special session, after a bill designed to create diversity ownership in the state's developing medical marijuana industry failed to pass in the session's closing minutes.

Members of the Black Legislative Caucus of Maryland criticized the legislative process Wednesday.

The measure would have allowed seven more licenses to grow marijuana in the state.

Two of those licenses would have gone to two companies that are suing the state, because they were bumped out of the top 15 companies named as finalists after a state commission said it sought to increase geographic diversity. It also would have allowed five more licenses to boost diversity ownership after a disparity study.