Pennsylvania House Panel Approves Decriminalization Bill
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]he Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee recently voted 14-9 in favor of a bill that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis. The bill is next headed to the Pennsylvania House for a hopefully affirmative vote before the end of the legislative session.
The proposed law would downgrade the possession of less than 30 grams of cannabis to a third-degree misdemeanor with a fine of $500. A second offense would result in a third-degree misdemeanor, punishable with a $1,000 fine and a six-month suspension of the violator’s driver’s license.
Anyone caught with cannabis on a school campus will face a general misdemeanor charge.
Major cities such as Pittsburgh have already decriminalized cannabis possession, leading to a 75 percent reduction in cannabis-related arrests between implementation of the city law in 2014 and now.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a report last year chronicling how black residents are arrested on low-level cannabis charges disproportionately in the state between 2010 and 2016, rising 33 percent in those years while the Philadelphia numbers dropped. “Even as acceptance grows, the war on marijuana continues,” said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “When police target marijuana users, they destroy lives. People who are ensnared in this system face limitations to employment, housing, and other fundamentals of daily life.”
Rep. Barry Jozwiak called his proposal a “commonsense reform aimed at saving taxpayers money and ensuring the punishment fits the crime.” “We want criminals to pay a penalty, but we also want them to be able to get back up on their feet and become contributing members of society,” Jozwiak said. He and other supporters say the measure will clear low-level cases from courts and save police resources.
Gov. Tom Wolf also has stated support for cannabis decriminalization. He is up for reelection next month and has previously said he would approve a decriminalization bill in Pennsylvania.
In September, Rep. Jake Wheatley introduced a bill legalizing recreational cannabis in the state.
