Virginia Senate Committee Kills Two Marijuana Decriminalization Bills

Scott Gacek | January 24, 2017

RICHMOND, VA — Two proposals to decriminalize marijuana possession in Virginia have been sent to further study, effectively killing the bills for the 2017 legislative session.

On Monday, the Senate Committee on Courts of Justice voted 15-0 against advancing Senate Bills 908 and 1269, assigning both bills the ominous designation of “passed by indefinitely.”

Both proposals would have reduced the penalty for possessing marijuana to a civil violation, punishable by only a…