Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced in September that his department would no longer prosecute simple marijuana cases.

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — A bill in the Indiana Senate would allow for the prosecution of simple marijuana possession cases in Indianapolis again.

Senate Bill 436 would allow the Indiana Attorney General to take up cases when a county prosecutor's office makes a policy not to prosecute those cases. The cost of prosecuting those cases would then be billed to the county. It was authored by State Senator Michael Young.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced in September that his department would no longer prosecute simple marijuana possession cases.

Under the policy, someone who is picked up for having an ounce or less of marijuana would not be prosecuted.

"Our priority is violent crime," Mears said at the time. "We are not going to mess around with these small possession of marijuana cases."

According to Indiana law, possession of marijuana in an amount less than 30 grams can be prosecuted as a Level B Misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $1,000.

In response to Senate Bill 436, Mears released a statement reading:

“The real issue is marijuana and the disproportionate impact our current marijuana policies have on people of color. This is a thinly-veiled effort to avoid that discussion.”