The 2015 General Assembly started off with a bang today as a bill hoping to decriminalize small amounts of pot was deferred to another meeting and NOT killed.



The 2015 General Assembly started off with a bang today as a bill hoping to decriminalize small amounts of pot was deferred to another meeting and NOT killed.

A recent poll showed 60% of Virginians supported decriminalization of small amounts of weed.

The bill was heard in this afternoon’s Republican-controlled Committee for Courts of Justice. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, who patroned the bill, said via text it was deferred and would be heard at a later meeting with a currently unknown date.

SB 686, decriminalization of simple marijuana possession, hopes to reduce the fine for possession of from $500 to $100, and would eliminate the 30-day jail sentence currently associated with the charge.

The bill would also affect distribution charges, suggesting someone with 6 or less plants was not intending to distribute, but keeping them for personal use. Finally, the bill would limit forfeiture of property from sale or distribution of marijuana to quantities of more than one pound, which currently has no limit.