Idaho Governor signed legislation creating a mandatory minimum penalty for marijuana possession.
The legislation passed by Gov. Brad Little, a Republican who was in the House of Representatives on Monday said that any adult caught with less three ounces will be fined a minimum of $300.
Last month, Rep. Bruce Skaug told members of a House panel that “we don’t want it to be a state where marijuana is legalized.”
On the House floor, the representative asked colleagues: “Tell me what state—anybody who debates against this bill—what state is a better place because of the passage of marijuana legalization? I submit none.”
A Senate committee heard him tell a later audience that “a 300-dollar fine isn’t too high if the person can buy marijuana and concentrates.”
“Every dollar that someone spends buying pot is not going to be spent by them on housing, food, clothing or school supplies.
This new law takes effect July 1.
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Skaug submitted a bill last year that attempted to set a $420 minimum fine for the possession of less than three ounces of cannabis. However, it did not become law.
Senate Minority leader Melissa Wintrow, a Democrat from Massachusetts, criticized the marijuana fines proposal before a Senate vote was held last week.
Research studies have shown that fines do not deter bad behavior in all cases, and that laws are often the best way to curb it. [put forward] The fine was $420 in one year and it wasn’t the same for another. [pass] “Now we are at $300,” she said. I wonder about how arbitrary the setting is.
Senator John Fetterman circulates petition to legalize marijuana at the federal level
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