|
S.C. marijuana policy reform bill needs your help
Dear Supporter:
Last week, South Carolina State Representative Bakari Sellers (D—Bamberg-Barnwell-Orangeburg Counties) introduced legislation that would end mandatory drivers license revocations for marijuana offenders. This legislation is a step in the right direction towards more sensible marijuana policy in the Palmetto State. Please support Rep. Seller’s efforts by writing your legislators asking them to support this positive change to draconian laws.
Under current law, any individual convicted of a marijuana offense must have their drivers licenses suspended for six months. Rep. Sellers’ bill (H. 4188) would replace the mandatory language of the law, making it an option to suspend. Mandatory suspension of a driver’s license for six months makes life excessively difficult for someone who may have been arrested for mere possession of a small amount of marijuana. By changing the law to make the suspension optional, the legislature will allow the courts to take into consideration the factors and circumstances of the arrest before deciding whether a six-month license suspension is an appropriate penalty. Please write your legislators and ask that they support allowing the courts to determine what is adequate punishment.
It is also very important that the elected officials in Columbia hear from supportive opinion leaders and people who would be personally affected by this bill. If you are a officer of the court, clergy member, member of law enforcement, or have been personally affected by the current mandatory driver’s license suspension, please e-mail state@mpp.org to see how else you can help.
Marijuana policy reform has seen plenty of good news this past year. Just last week New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed medical marijuana legislation into law. It’s time South Carolina made some noise by passing sensible reform of its marijuana laws. Rep. Sellers’ bill is certainly a big step towards sensible change. Write your legislators, request that they support H. 4188 and urge them to sponsor further sensible reform to South Carolina’s marijuana laws.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Capecchi

Legislative Analyst

Marijuana Policy Project
P.S. Please pass this alert on to friends and family, so that they, too, can speak out for more sensible and fair marijuana laws. | 
