SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico Senate committee led by a marijuana-legalization skeptic began deliberations Wednesday evening on a bill that would authorize sales and taxation of recreational marijuana.

The initiative is backed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham amid efforts by her administration to attract new industries to a state and trim economic independence on oil production. The bill comes with new tax breaks and subsidies designed to benefit medical marijuana patients.

Bill sponsor Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino urged Senate colleagues to embrace a bill that seeks to regulate a black market in order to restrict child access without promoting recreational use.

“That’s what this bill sets out to do, is reduce the use of cannabis by people under age 21 by regulating the use for people” over 21, he said.

The bill requires medical cannabis sales at every dispensary, while waiving some taxes on prescription pot and providing subsidies to low-income patients. Those provisions respond to instances in other states including Oregon where recreational marijuana has upended medical cannabis markets and programs.

Under the proposal, every recreational marijuana dispensary would be required to also offer medical marijuana to patients who qualify under a long list of conditions such as cancer, post-traumatic stress and chronic pain.

A bipartisan proposal last year to legalize recreational cannabis sales at state-owned marijuana stores won House approval by a two-vote margin before stalling in the Senate, where several moderate Democrats have openly opposed legalization.

The new bill calls for a 9% excise tax on marijuana sales for spending on local law enforcement, preventive education against driving under the influence and substance abuse treatment.

A portion of excise tax proceeds also would go toward social justice causes designed to help communities negatively and disproportionately affected by past federal drug policies.

The bill would create an investment fund for marijuana entrepreneurs in communities hard-hit by the drug war. Many past pot convictions that don't involve trafficking would be automatically expunged.

No town or county could turn away the industry completely, an attempt to stamp out black markets. Municipalities and counties can each impose their own 4% tax on marijuana sales.

This year's initiative hews closely to recommendations of a legalization policy task force assembled by the governor and led by Albuquerque city councilor Pat Davis.

New Mexico founded its medical cannabis program in 2007.