RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — A bill that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana in Virginia has passed the House of Delegates, in what some legislators see as a first step toward future legislation.
Several Republicans joined Democrats in the 64-34 vote for HB 972, which was backed by Democratic Governor Ralph Northam.
Under the bill, simple possession — a half-ounce or less — would result in a civil fine and not jail time. Current Virginia law imposes a maximum fine of $500 and a maximum 30-day jail sentence on first offense, with additional offenses resulting in a class 1 misdemeanor that could bring up to a year in jail.
The bill’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, acknowledged other legislators’ calls to go further and legalize the drug, but said the move is “better than the status quo.” Advocates for legalization argue that decriminalization won’t address the disproportionate enforcement of marijuana laws in minority neighborhoods.
Monday’s vote came less than a week after the House Courts of Justice Committee chose to refer three separate legalization bills from Democrats Steve Heretick, Lee Carter and Jennifer-Carrol Foy for study, with a possibility of bills moving forward in 2021.
Delegate Don L. Scott (D-Portsmouth), who talked about how his district has been heavily impacted by current marijuana enforcement laws, spoke to critics who suggested not passing the bill because it doesn’t go far enough.
“To do nothing, as I’ve heard people say is better than doing something,” Scott said. “I think that is cray cray, I think that is ridiculous. We have to do something, and I think this gets us in the right posture … as we work toward legalization.”
If approved by the Senate, the bill will likely be signed by Northam.