Whitey Ford
01-09-2020, 06:16 PM
Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday that he would throw his weight behind the decriminalization of marijuana in Virginia this year but said he wants to study full legalization before going further.
Northam announced legislation Friday that would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil offense carrying a $50 penalty, instead of a criminal misdemeanor.
The proposal is part of a broader “criminal justice reform agenda” that includes changes to the state’s parole system, a higher threshold for theft to be considered a felony, and an increase to the age at which a young offender can be tried as an adult from 14 to 16.
https://i.imgur.com/9eEFszV.jpg
All Virginians deserve access to a fair and equitable criminal justice system,” Northam said Friday during an event at OAR Richmond, a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate people formerly incarcerated. “This is a bold step towards a more just and inclusive commonwealth.”
Northam and other Democrats have argued that enforcement is expensive as possession of the drug becomes widespread. They also say it disproportionately jails African Americans.
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/northam-backs-marijuana-decriminalization-raising-felony-larceny-threshold-to/article_3407c645-e860-5aea-b8e9-0273915afb05.html
Northam announced legislation Friday that would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil offense carrying a $50 penalty, instead of a criminal misdemeanor.
The proposal is part of a broader “criminal justice reform agenda” that includes changes to the state’s parole system, a higher threshold for theft to be considered a felony, and an increase to the age at which a young offender can be tried as an adult from 14 to 16.
https://i.imgur.com/9eEFszV.jpg
All Virginians deserve access to a fair and equitable criminal justice system,” Northam said Friday during an event at OAR Richmond, a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate people formerly incarcerated. “This is a bold step towards a more just and inclusive commonwealth.”
Northam and other Democrats have argued that enforcement is expensive as possession of the drug becomes widespread. They also say it disproportionately jails African Americans.
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/northam-backs-marijuana-decriminalization-raising-felony-larceny-threshold-to/article_3407c645-e860-5aea-b8e9-0273915afb05.html