× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Virginia won’t be relaxing its laws against marijuana possession after several bills that would have lowered penalties for simple possession failed to advance Monday from a House of Delegates subcommittee.

Under current law, being caught with a small amount of marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail. Two Democratic lawmakers filed bills to make simple possession a civil violation that would still carry fines, but would no longer be treated as a crime carrying the prospect of jail time.

“When you have half of the population violating a law, it’s a law that’s not working,” said Del. Mark H. Levine, D-Alexandria, a patron of one of the bills tabled by the House Courts of Justice Committee’s subcommittee on criminal law. A similar bill was filed by Del. Stephen E. Heretick, D-Portsmouth.

Kevin Carroll, president of the Virginia chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, spoke against the bills, calling Colorado’s decision to legalize marijuana a “nice social experiment.”

“We in Virginia need to be a little bit smarter and take our time and look at this objectively,” Carroll said.