Two modest marijuana reform bills cleared the Virginia Senate on Friday, with several others advancing during a special session as lawmakers consider the issue of broader cannabis legalization.
Legislation that would make possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle a secondary offense instead of a primary one, and also prevent law enforcement from searching or seizing property based on the odor of marijuana alone, passed the chamber in a 21-15 vote.
Making possession a secondary offense means that a summons couldn’t be issued unless the person is charged with a separate, second violation.
Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession earlier this year, and it went into effect on July 1. It makes possession of up to one ounce a civil penalty punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time. But while advocates view that development as a significant victory, legislators are also looking for ways to build upon that reform.
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Virginia Senate Approves Two Marijuana Bills As Lawmakers Pursue Broader Legalization
marijuana by taki Lau is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0