Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession. (HB1906)

Introduced By

Del. Steve Heretick (D-Portsmouth) with support from co-patron Sen. Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomac)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession. Decriminalizes marijuana possession and provides a civil penalty of no more than $250 for a first violation and $1,000 for a second or subsequent violation. Under current law, a first offense is punishable by a maximum fine of $500 and a maximum 30-day jail sentence, and subsequent offenses are a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a person who possesses no more than one-half ounce of marijuana possesses it for personal use and provides that the existing suspended sentence and substance abuse screening provisions apply only to criminal violations or to civil violations by a minor. The bill decreases the penalty for distribution or possession with intent to sell more than one-half but not more than five pounds of marijuana from a Class 5 felony to a Class 6 felony. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2017Committee
01/10/2017Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/17 17102658D
01/10/2017Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/13/2017Assigned Courts sub: Criminal Law
01/25/2017Impact statement from DPB (HB1906)
01/30/2017Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/07/2017Left in Courts of Justice

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: SB908.

Comments

Joe 420 writes:

Yeah uhhh, please legalize, I want to hit the bangalang in piece

#needtheweed

Gavin McGavin writes:

Goverment involvement is the rite of the people

#rollinforpolin

Robert Combs writes:

I'd rather have cops writing tickets for an essentially harmless substance and be able to focus more time on arresting rapists and murderers than arresting personal users.

Eva King writes:

I support decriminalizing marijuana. Our prisons are bursting with non-violent drug offenders, and arrests are far more likely imposed on African-Americans. This is not necessary for public safety, maintains racial disparities, and wastes criminal justice resources.

420 GodVaper writes:

plsssssssssss get this bill to the governero, i need me the weeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddd!
if i dont get the weeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddd i will protest the virginia forevurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr