State House in Hartford, CT
Legislation to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults is moving forward in Hartford. The Joint Judiciary Committee approved the bill on Tuesday April 12th. The proposed change in state law would allow for a $100 fine and a non-criminal citation for those caught with up to a half-ounce of cannabis. The original language called for possession of up to one ounce.
“This proposal is just saying, let’s save all that hassle. These offenses do take up a lot of time and effort in the court system,” said Michael Lawlor, a senior adviser to Malloy and former chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Lawlor said the proposal will save the state “multi-millions” by not having an estimated 2,000 offenders who are caught each year with small amounts of marijuana brought into the justice system. The legislature’s non-partisan research office reported that states that have reduced penalties for possession have “significantly reduced expenses” for arrests and prosecution. read full
Former Governor Jodi Rell, a Republican, fought a similar piece of legislation in 2009. Because she loudly threatened a veto the bill never got a floor vote.
But this year the measure has seen steady progress as a leading agenda item for the newly elected Governor Daniel Malloy, a Democrat.
A Quinnipiac poll found that 65% of Connecticut residents support decriminalized marijuana possession.