In the wake of growing unrest over racial injustice, several states have taken steps that may give legalization proponents reason to be optimistic. For example, Georgia lawmakers included decriminalizing marijuana in a recent police reform bill. In New Jersey, a decriminalization bill passed the state Assembly by a 63-10 vote. Taking everything into account, Karen O’Keefe, the director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, believes we will see a record number of states legalize marijuana next year.
New Jersey has struggled in the past to pass marijuana legislation, seeing bills that would decriminalize 15 grams of weed, among others, languish in the state legislature and never become law. However, Gov. Phil Murphy and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, both Democrats who were recently skeptical of easing restrictions on weed, have indicated their stances have shifted.
On Thursday, members of the New Jersey state Assembly approved a substitute version of A1897 by a 63-10 vote, with five abstentions. As currently written, the measure decriminalizes the possession and distribution of up to two ounces of marijuana by adults — making these activities punishable by a $50 fine. Those found to be in violation of the law will no longer be arrested or saddled with a criminal record.
Even before voters get to decide in November whether to legalize recreational marijuana use in New Jersey, possession of small amounts of pot could be decriminalized if Gov. Phil Murphy signs legislation that passed the Assembly on Thursday.
“New Jersey is being really progressive in starting this conversation,” said DeVaughn Ward of the Marijuana Policy Project. “At two ounces, it would still be progress for the region. The reality is that for every increase is another life that could potentially be saved; somebody that could not be forced to encounter law enforcement.”
Proposed Assembly Bills 1897 and 4269 would decriminalize certain amounts of cannabis possession, while scaling back penalties for what would still be arrestable and convictable offenses.
The measures, which were introduced at the Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee on Monday, passed by a 63-10 vote with five abstentions at the Assembly’s remotely held hearing, and with no discussion among any members. A Senate version was introduced on March 16 to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but has not gone anywhere since.
The New Jersey Assembly approved a marijuana decriminalization bill on Thursday.
The legislation, which would make possession of up to two ounces of cannabis a civil penalty punishable by a $50 fine and no jail time, cleared the chamber in a 63-10 vote, with five abstentions. This comes days after the legislation advanced out of the Community Development and Affairs Committee.
State lawmakers are scheduled to vote Thursday on one of two proposals to decriminalize weed and curb arrests that disproportionately impact Black people.
The state Assembly will convene for a session at 11 a.m. and is scheduled to vote on A1897, a measure that advanced from a committee hearing Monday. It seeks to replace arrests for possessing up to two ounces of weed with a civil fine of $50, and also lessens jail time and fines for possession of larger amounts of pot on a sliding scale.
“This is only one piece of the many parts of change that must be done in the name of social justice for our communities. The War on Drugs in many ways became a war on particular communities, incarcerating millions of people and affecting families irreparably for decades,” said Wimberly (D-Bergen, Passaic). “The action we take now to help our black and brown communities who have been disproportionately affected by current laws surrounding cannabis use is critical to trauma for future generations.”
Lawmakers are moving ahead with the second bill proposed in recent weeks that would decriminalize certain levels of marijuana possession in New Jersey, amid mounting protests both in the state and nationwide against racial inequality.
Their introduction comes months ahead of a ballot question set for November’s 2020 presidential election, where voters will decide whether recreational marijuana should be legalized for adult-use.