Virginia House Bill 997 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on January 13 2016 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2016-02-16 - Left in Courts of Justice
Pending: House Courts of Justice Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Prefiled) [HTML]

Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession. Decriminalizes simple marijuana possession and provides a civil penalty of no more than $100 for a first violation, $250 for a second violation, and $500 for a third or subsequent violation. Under current law, a first offense is punishable by a maximum fine of $500 and a maximum 30-day jail sentence, and subsequent offenses are a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill reduces the criminal penalties for distribution and possession with intent to distribute, etc., marijuana. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a person who possesses no more than one ounce of marijuana possesses it for personal use and provides that the suspended sentence/substance abuse screening provisions apply only to criminal violations or to civil violations by a minor. The bill also limits forfeiture of property from the sale or distribution of marijuana to quantities of more than one pound; currently there is no minimum amount.

Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession.

Del. Mark Levine [D]

Date	Chamber	Action
2016-02-16	House	Left in Courts of Justice
2016-01-25	House	Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
2016-01-19	House	Assigned Courts sub: Criminal Law
2016-01-13	House	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2016-01-13	House	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16101890D

Chapter	Article	Section	Citation Type	Statute Text
16	1	260	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	248.1	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	250.1	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	251	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	252	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	259.1	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	287.2	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	308.09	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	308.1:5	(n/a)	See Bill Text
18	2	460	(n/a)	See Bill Text
19	2	386.22	(n/a)	See Bill Text
46	2	390.1	(n/a)	See Bill Text

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+sum+HB997
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+ful+HB997+hil