Baton Rouge, LA: Lawmakers in both chambers have approved legislation, HB 149, to significantly reduce marijuana possession penalties.
The proposal now goes to Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has said that he intends to sign the measure into law. "We are fine with the idea of providing rehabilitation and treatment for non-violent drug offenders, and I think this bill does that," he said.
Louisiana presently imposes some of the harshest marijuana penalties in the nation, particularly for repeat offenders. Annually, state and local police make nearly 14,000 marijuana possession arrests. The state is #14 in the nation in per capita marijuana possession arrests.
House Bill 149 amends criminal penalties for offenses involving the possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana from up to six-months in jail to no more than 15 days in jail. Second offenses would be reduced from up to five years imprisonment to no more than six-months in jail. Third offenses are reduced from up to 20 years imprisonment to no more than two years in prison.
The measure also allows offenders one chance to apply to have their record expunged if they aren’t convicted of a marijuana violation within two years of the first offense.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.