Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking a second shot this year at legalizing marijuana in New York for adult recreational use, with a plan unveiled during his State of the State address Wednesday that appeared to largely mirror what he proposed last year.

But this year, Cuomo is also seeking to have New York work with its geographical neighbors to coordinate a comprehensive system for legalizing marijuana.

After Democrats took control of both chambers of the state Legislature last year for the first time in nearly a decade, they appeared poised to legalize marijuana. That didn't happen for several reasons, including disagreement on where revenue from sales should be diverted.

Cuomo's office said in a written version of the proposal alongside his speech Wednesday that his plan has the potential to generate $300 million in tax revenue annually.

Lawmakers may be more motivated to set aside their differences on marijuana legalization this year to help fill the state's ever-growing budget deficit. New York is heading into the new year with a budget gap of $6.1 billion.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, said after Cuomo's address Wednesday that he was optimistic lawmakers could approve a marijuana legalization bill this year, as long as it meets certain criteria that could be supported by his colleagues.

"I would hope so. It's another revenue stream. But as I always said it has to be done in the right way, and to me the first component is making it up to the communities hit hardest by the decriminalization of marijuana," Heastie said.

But there are questions that remain with marijuana legalization, which prevented lawmakers from coming to an agreement last year.

Among them was traffic safety. Some lawmakers wanted revenue from marijuana sales to be diverted largely to law enforcement, which would be tasked with determining when drivers are intoxicated by the drug. Many aren't trained to do that, law enforcement groups have said.

Other lawmakers wanted revenue from marijuana sales to be largely invested in communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the state's laws criminalizing marijuana. Those have historically been communities of color.

Cuomo's proposal Tuesday didn't say, exactly, where revenue from marijuana sales would go. But it did say that funds should be invested in research and direct resources to harm reduction, treatment and prevention providers.

The proposal would also create a statewide education campaign that communicates the potential health risks of using marijuana that exist for vulnerable populations. It would also create a campaign to prevent driving while impaired on the drug.

Cuomo's proposal, like others, would also include oversight of the cannabis industry from a newly formed Office of Cannabis Management. The office would oversee packaging, labeling, advertising and testing of all products. Sales would be limited to adults 21 and over.

Democrats in the Legislature had rallied around a different proposal near the end of last year's legislative session that included some differences from Cuomo's proposal. They failed to gain support from their colleagues before session ended for the year in June.

Lawmakers, instead, agreed to decriminalize marijuana for low-level possession, meaning those charges were reduced from a misdemeanor to a violation, and that fines were significantly lowered in the process. It also provided a mechanism for expungement of those convictions.

Cuomo and the Legislature are expected to debate marijuana legalization, again, as part of this year's state budget. That spending plan is due at the end of March.

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