Colorado may vote to keep $58M in marijuana revenue

<p>(AP Photo/David&nbsp;<span data-scayt-word="Zalubowski">Zalubowski</span>)</p>
<p>Glass jars containing various strains of marijuana sit on a counter as sales associate Mattt Hart works at the 3D Dispensary on Friday, Dec. 19, 2014, in Denver.</p>

Voters may get the chance to allow Colorado to keep the $58 million in marijuana tax revenue that would otherwise be refunded under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.

The bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday would ask voters to allow the state to keep that money.

Lawmakers say they would use it for things like school construction, marijuana education and drug prevention services.

“For every dollar that we invest in treatment in substance abuse treatment," said Ruth Aponte of Arapahoe House drug rehabilitation center, "We save $10-12 in drug related costs in the criminal justice, healthcare and child welfare systems.”

The committee approved the measure on an 11 to two vote. It now moves onto the full Senate.

If passed, the bill would create a ballot proposal for the election in November.