Illinois Senate Approves Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

SB 2228, which includes provisions agreed upon by Gov. Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly, would replace potential jail time with a civil fine for possession of a personal amount of marijuana

CHICAGO, IL The Illinois Senate approved a bill 40-14 on Tuesday that would replace criminal penalties with a civil fine for possession of a personal amount of marijuana. It will now go to the House for further consideration.

Senate Bill 2228, introduced by Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), would make possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana a civil violation punishable by a fine of $100-$200. Adults would no longer face time in jail, and the civil offense would be automatically expunged in order to prevent a permanent criminal record.

The proposal largely mirrors legislation introduced in the House by Rep. Kelly Cassidy and reflects amendments Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed when he vetoed a similar bill last year.

Under current Illinois law, possession of up to 2.5 grams of marijuana is a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,500; possession of 2.5-10 grams is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,500; and possession of more than 10 grams up to 30 grams is a class 4 felony punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $1,500 fine. More than 100 Illinois communities have already removed criminal penalties for simple marijuana possession.

We need to replace Illinoiss current patchwork of marijuana possession laws with a consistent standard that will be applied fairly across ...