What: Your chance to influence marijuana and other
drug laws in Virginia.
Where: Virginia General Assembly, Richmond, Virginia
When: Aug. 29, 2001 at 10:00 A.M.
Legislative Alert:
The Legislative committee that is charged with rewriting the criminal code of Virginia has seclude its first meeting for Aug. 29, 2001 at 10:00 A.M. in the Conference room on the 6th Floor of the General Assembly Building at Ninth and Broad Street in Richmond.
We have established the following (ambitious) goals with regard to our work with this commission:
1) Eliminate the mandatory minimums instituted by SABRE - These are based on the federal mandatory minimums, although there is a safety valve thanks to CPR.
2) Mitigate the third time looser law for drug felons – At this time someone caught growing marijuana can go to prison for life. Third time loser provisions for drug offenders are draconian and we must work to eliminate them.
3) Institute a misdemeanor designation for possession of schedule I & II drugs- under current Virginia law there is no misdemeanor charge for personal possession of drugs other than marijuana. This is a hindrance to the appropriate and humane administration of justice here.
4) Create a civil penalty for marijuana possession – While many offenders do not go to jail for marijuana, too many minority people find themselves locked up for this low level crime. This is one offense that does not need to be punished with jail time for anyone.
5) Change police policy in
such a way that would discourage trivial drug investigations on their part
– In some Virginia jurisdictions police are giving a high priority to arresting
marijuana offenders. They need a clear directive from policy makers regarding
the low priority of these arrests.
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