HB96 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Laura Hall Representative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Crimes and offenses, marijuana, possession of, unlawful possession in first and second degree further provided, possession of marijuana in third degree created, Secs. 13A-12-214.4, 13A-12-214.5 added; Secs. 13A-12-213, 13A-12-214 am'd.

Description

Under existing law, a person commits the crime of unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree and is guilty of a Class C felony if the person possesses marijuana for other than personal use. A person commits the crime of unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree and is guilty of a Class D felony if the person possesses marijuana for personal use after having been previously convicted of unlawful possession in the second degree.

This bill would revise the crime of unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree to eliminate references to personal use and provide that a person commits the crime if he or she possesses two or more ounces of marijuana. This bill would also provide that unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree is a Class C felony.

Under existing law, a person commits the crime of unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree and is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor if he or she possesses any amount of marijuana for personal use only.

This bill would revise the crime of unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree to eliminate references to personal use and provide that a person commits the crime if he or she possesses more than one ounce but less than two ounces of marijuana.

This bill would create the crime of possession of marijuana in the third degree for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana and would provide a fine for a violation based on the number of the person's prior convictions for possession of marijuana in the third degree.

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment.

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Subjects

Crimes and Offenses