House passes bill treating marijuana possession like speeding ticket

[n2doc]

A bill treating low-level marijuana possession charges similar to speeding tickets statewide passed the Illinois House on Thursday with bipartisan support.

The bill is the brainchild of Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, and would make possession of 15 grams of marijuana — or roughly half an ounce, the equivalent of about 30 joints — punishable by a fine of up to $125. It also would create protocol for a driving under the influence of marijuana charge. Offenders would have their records expunged of the possession offense after six months.

Cassidy said the bill would help alleviate some of the racial disparity involved in criminal sentencing as well as save the state money. The bill passed by a 62-53 vote.

"We've turned a corner in the way we look at crime in Illinois and our criminal justice system as a whole," Cassidy said. "And I think it's a hopeful sign for a lot of other things, too."

The Illinois Department of Corrections estimated that Cassidy's proposal would save the state about $30 million.

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150423/NEWS/150429745/10511/NEWS

[riversedge]

1. Congrats

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. a baby step, but still welcome

Problem is, Rauner is a Teabagging neocon who is anti-pot, anti-social services, and anti-poor and needy. He just cut most of the mental health funding for an organization that serves almost 10,000 ill folks. Every mental health expert (and all the police and sheriff chiefs) are afraid that this will lead directly to the arrest and jailing of the mentally ill.

Even as possession crimes are lessened, the mentally ill (Many of whom could benefit from medical marijuana) will end up warehoused in prison. Just because they need help.

[mopinko]

4. cook county, at least, is working to fix this.

besides the fact that countycare, an aca program for medicaid in cook county, sets people up with free insurance so that they can get the treatment they need either in the er, or through a private provider, there is also an aggressive diversion program to keep the mentally ill out of the cook county jail and in treatment where they belong.

admissions through er's is soaring, which, imho, is a good thing. many rail about the closing of chicago mental health clinics but i contend they were useless agencies that put bandaids on hemorrhages, and did more more harm than good. now those people can get county care and receive mental health parity.
real treatment for mental illness often starts in the er. this is a real sign of progress.

rauner likes it because it saves money. we can like it because it saves lives.

kelly cassidy is the best.

[mopinko]

3. that's my rep.

love her.