PANEL APPROVES BILL LOWERING MARIJUANA CHARGES

LITTLE ROCK - A measure that stiffens fines for marijuana possession of
an ounce or less of marijuana while reducing the seriousness of a second
offense passed the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

The measure also puts money from a $200 increase in court costs associated
with marijuana convictions into a new fund to help finance drug courts.

"Having some kid in college or high school make a mistake, then have a
felony record follow him around the rest of his life if he's ever caught
again smoking a doobie or having a roach clip in his ashtray is
ridiculous," said Rep. Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins, the sponsor of House Bill
2596.

A doobie is a marijuana cigarette and a roach clip is a holder for the
butts of a marijuana cigarette.

The amended version of Pritchard's bill leaves the first minor possession
offense as a Class A misdemeanor but would impose a mandatory 24 hours in
jail and a fine of at least $150 and no more than $1,000. The bill would
also impose $300 in court costs instead of the current $100. The additional
$200 in court costs would go into a fund to pay for drug courts that is in
Pritchardis HB 2353, which the Senate passed Tuesday in a 35-0 vote. HB
2353 has passed the House and has been sent to the governor.

Current law imposes no jail time or fine for the first offense but allows
jail time of up to a year and a fine of up to $1,000, Pritchard said.

The bill lowers the second offense from a Class D felony conviction, which
stays on the offender's permanent criminal record, to a Class A misdemeanor
with a sentence of seven days to one year in jail and a fine of $400 to
$1,000. Again, the court would impose $300 in court costs with $200 of it
going to the fund to be set up by HB 2353.

A third offense would be a Class D felony punishable by 90 days to six
years in prison and a $900 to $10,000 fine.

Pritchard said he has no estimate of how much HB 2596 will raise for drug
courts. An earlier version of the bill, which did not increase the
penalties for the first offense, failed to get a motion in the Judiciary
Committee on Tuesday morning. Pritchard amended the bill and returned to
the committee that afternoon. Rep. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, made the
motion to recommend HB 2596, which passed on a voice vote.