BREAKING NEWS: Marijuana Infraction Measure Now Only One Vote Away From Governor's Desk
Senate Bill 1449, which seeks to reduce personal, non-medical marijuana possession penalties from a criminal misdemeanor to an infraction, is now only one vote away from heading to Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk.
On Wednesday, June 23, members of the California Assembly Committee on Public Safety
voted 4 to 1 to send the measure to the Assembly floor. (Senate lawmakers had previously voted 21 to 13 in favor of the bill.) Once the full Assembly acts, the measure will go before the Governor for his signature.
Under current
law, marijuana possession has a unique status in California law as the only misdemeanor that is not punishable by arrest or jail time. However, offenders must still appear in court, pay a fine ($100), and pay court costs (approximately $200). In addition, defendants who wish to avoid a criminal record must attend a court-ordered diversion program. Defendants who do not attend such a program are saddled with a criminal record for at least two years following their conviction.
By making possession an infraction,
Senate Bill 1449 would spare possession offenders time in court or the risk of a criminal record. Instead, they would simply pay a fine.
More information about S.B. 1449 is available from
California NORML.
Please take two minutes of your time today to write your member of the Assembly and urge him or her to support reducing marijuana possession penalties. For your convenience, pre-written letters will be e-mailed to your member of the Assembly when you enter your contact information below.
Thank you for supporting NORML's marijuana law reform efforts in California.
