Title:
Three great bills in Virginia
Message:
It’s my
pleasure to tell you that advocates of marijuana policy reform have at least three
bills to be excited about in the 2012 session of Virginia’s General Assembly.
The first, HJ 140, sponsored
by Arlington
Democrat David Englin, would create a joint subcommittee of delegates and
senators tasked with studying the revenue impact on Virginia of taxing and
regulating the sale of marijuana – in other words, ending marijuana prohibition
in Virginia. Please
ask your legislators to support this study.
The second,
HJ 139,
also sponsored by Englin, is a resolution calling on Virginia Governor
Bob
McDonnell to support a rescheduling petition submitted last month by
governors
from Rhode Island and Washington state that would move marijuana out of
Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act so that it can be regulated
and
studied just like other medications. Please
ask your legislators to vote “yes” on HJ 139.
Finally, HB 485,
sponsored by Roanoke
Democrat Onzlee Ware, is pro-job legislation that would make changes to
Virginia’s expungement laws, making it easier for individuals charged with
possession of marijuana to have court and arrest records expunged (i.e. hidden
for purposes of background checks). In other words, it would alleviate
employment discrimination against individuals who choose to use marijuana. Click
here to support Del. Ware’s bill.
Thanks to Michael Krawitz and
other activists in Virginia for making it possible to share all this good news,
and thank you for supporting
the Marijuana Policy Project.
