Alabama Senate committee moves cannabis decriminalization bill forward

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Alabama lawmakers try to bring new cannabis laws to the state

Not long ago, a bill was unveiled for the state of Alabama to decriminalize the possession of cannabis while removing previous cannabis-related charges from the registry. The proposal reached the state Senate Judiciary Committee, and after some deliberation, it was approved, moving ever closer to the success sought by its sponsors.

In the middle of last week, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee met to discuss this bill. After the majority agreed with its provisions, it received the necessary approval to move forward. The intent of this legislation is for cannabis possession to be decriminalized.

While certainly encouraging news to many, Democratic State Senator Bobby Singleton appears to be unmotivated by the proposal. By his estimation, the chances of the bill receiving a thumbs up from the legislature are not so bright, considering 2022 is an election year.

Last year, the committee had also approved an identical version of the recent proposal; however, it was never able to make it to the floor of either chamber for further consideration. “What we’re doing is basically trying to just make sure that we are not locking people up on marijuana charges,” Singleton said.

Under the provisions of the legislation, the first two convictions related to cannabis possession (two ounces or less) would still be viewed as a misdemeanor. However, unlike today, the fines would be much lower and incarceration would be left out of the equation. Current Yellowhammer State law states that possession of cannabis, regardless of quantity, is grounds for punishment of up to one year of incarceration and a fine of up to $6,000.

The reform measure seeks to drastically change those penalties with a $250 fine for a first offense and a $500 fine for a second offense. The third offense would be adjudicated as a felony punishable by a $750 fine, but jail time would still be waived.