Tagged With: Minor
Buffalo/Western New York: Blacks Disproportionately Arrested For Minor Marijuana Offenses
African Americans in the city of Buffalo (population 257,000) are disproportionately arrested for low-level marijuana possession offenses, according to an analysis of arrest data by the advocacy group Partnership for the Public Good. Researchers evaluated marijuana arrest data for Erie County, New York for the years 2012 to 2016. Countywide, blacks comprised 71 percent of … Continue reading
Federal: End Arbitrary License Suspensions For Minor Marijuana Possession
Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) with Representatives Amash (R-MI), Jeffries (D-NY), Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Nadler (D-NY), and Love (R-UT) have introduced The Better Drive Act, legislation removing the federal mandate that demands states to suspend the driver’s license of individuals with a marijuana possession conviction. Under current law, any drug conviction, regardless of whether or not a … Continue reading
Arizona: Measure introduced To Defelonize Minor Marijuana Offenses
Arizona Representative Mark Cardenas has introduced legislation, House Bill 2002, to defelonize minor marijuana possession offenses. Arizona’s penalties pertaining to the possession and/or sale of cannabis are among the toughest in the nation. Under present law, marijuana possession is classified as a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail. Annually, an estimated 20,000 … Continue reading
Tennessee: Measures To Reclassify Minor Marijuana Offenses Defeated
Legislation that sought to reduce marijuana possession penalties was unfortunately defeated this legislative session. House Bill 873 was previously passed by members of the Criminal Justice Committee on April 1st but members of the Finance Ways & Means Subcommittee and Committee failed to ever consider it. The companion Senate bill, Senate Bill 1211, was never considered by members … Continue reading
Arizona: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Measure To Defelonize Minor Marijuana Offenses
House lawmakers failed to consider, House Bill 2007, legislation to defelonize minor marijuana possession offenses. Arizona’s penalties pertaining to the possession and/or sale of cannabis are among the toughest in the nation. Under present law, marijuana possession is classified as a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail. Annually, an estimated 20,000 Arizonans … Continue reading
Virginia: House Fails To Act On Bill To End License Suspensions For Minor Marijuana Violators
On February 9th, SB 327, legislation to amend state law so that first time, minor marijuana offenders no longer face the loss of their driver’s license, was approved by the full Senate. Unfortunately members of the House Courts of Justice Committee failed to take action on the bill before the 2016 legislative session came to an end. … Continue reading
Georgia: Lawmakers Take No Action On House Bill That Seeks to Amend Minor Marijuana Possession Penalties
House lawmakers did not take action on House Bill 1046, legislation to amend state law so that minor marijuana offenders no longer face jail time, prior to a legislative deadline and therefore the legislation has been tabled for the remainder of this session. If approved, the legislation would have made the first time possession of … Continue reading
