A pro-marijuana group dropped off more than enough petition signatures in Lansing on Wednesday to get a decriminalization measure on the ballot this November.

Sixty-one boxes of petitions were unloaded at the Secretary of State Elections Division building and supporters gathered around them to pose for pictures at the stroke of 4:20 p.m.

The 354,000 signatures is more than the 252,523 needed to send the decriminalization issue to voters. But the initiative will test a policy that gives organizations 180 days to gather the required signatures.

The group got 200,000 signatures in 180 days, but took longer to the goal.

Jeff Hank, an attorney with MLegalize, says it doesn't matter how long it took, that there is an option for groups to offer a rebuttal to the 180-day rule and get around it. The 180-day rule has been controversial, prompting a Board of Canvassers member to flee a meeting in April before a vote could be taken on it.

A bill that would make the 180-day rule hard and fast passed both the House and the Senate. Gov. Rick Snyder would have to sign it to make it law.

When the bill passed the House two weeks ago, Speaker Kevin Cotter said the rebuttal procedure hadn't been used in the past for old signatures. He said the bill would provide "bright line guidance."

Hank said it doesn't matter what happens with the bill because MLegalize has already handed in the signatures and the law wouldn't be retroactive.

"It wouldn't affect us," he said. "We're going to fight that policy if it's unfairly applied to us. We think the bureau will do the right thing. We've gone to extraordinary lengths to prove that we have valid voters to sign this ... petition."

Earlier on Wednesday, an anti-fracking group which gathered 207,000 signatures announced it was suing the state, claiming the 180-day rule was unconstitutional.

Hank hadn't heard of the suit and couldn't comment on whether his organization would join in the fight, but didn't rule out future litigation.

The attorney said it's not fair for politicians to expect grassroots organizations to pull-off a signature drive in such a short time frame, given the amount of energy and money it costs.

"It's not meant to be for special interests to buy ballot access to get the policies they want," Hank said. "They already have access to the legislators. This is our voice as the people."

Fred Woodhams, communications manager for the Secretary of State, said the next step is for the staff at the Bureau of Elections to review the sheets and randomly select some of the signatures to verify.

"At this point in time, it's being treated as any ... filing," he said.

The bureau will issue a report to the Board of Canvassers, which will then send it off to the Legislature. The House could make it law, or reject it and send it the voters.

But the 180-day rule may cause problems long before it gets to that point.

In the meantime, pro-marijuana supporters were high with excitement while dropping off the signatures.

"We did good. It's been a long journey," Hank said. "We started this with a dollar and a dream. We didn't have a lot of money."

He estimates the group raised around $1.1 million during the petition drive.

John Schlicker, of Alcona County, said he worked hard to gather as many signatures as he could.

"It's the right thing for mankind, the right thing for the environment," he added. "No one should go to jail for a plant."

John Counts is a writer on MLive's Impact Team. Contact him at johncounts@mlive.com.