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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Rep. Patricia Todd (Bob Gathany/bgathany@al.com)

A bill to reduce the penalty for marijuana possession is scheduled for a public hearing in an Alabama House committee on Wednesday.

Rep. Patricia Todd's bill would make the first offense for having an ounce or less of marijuana punishable by a $250 fine, with no jail time and no criminal record.

Currently, second-degree marijuana possession, defined as possession for personal use only, is a Class A misdemeanor, which can draw up to a year in jail and a fine up of to $6,000.

Todd said her bill would make the fine more reasonable, like a speeding ticket.

"It won't appear on your record," Todd said. "It won't stop you from getting a job."

The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing for 2:30 p.m. in Room 200 of the State House.

The Judiciary Committee also has public hearings scheduled on two other bills.

One would allow medicinal use of cannabidiol, or CBD oil, which is made from marijuana and has shown potential for helping people with seizure disorders.

Last year, the Legislature approved Carly's Law, which authorized a study by UAB on the use of CBD oil.

Rep. Mike Ball is proposing a bill called Leni's Law that would expand the availability of CBD oil prescribed by a doctor to patients outside of the UAB study.

It is named after Leni Young, whose family moved from Alabama to Oregon to gain access to CBD oil, which has significantly reduced her seizures.

The other bill up for a public hearing would ban products made from kratom, a plant native to southeast Asia.

The products are sold in convenience stores for pain relief, energy and relaxation under brand names like Vivazen and K Chill.