Broad changes to marijuana laws swept through the 2020 Virginia General Assembly. Today, the legislature approved SB2 and HB 972  to decriminalize marijuana possession. Those in possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use will no longer be subject to criminal prosecution and will instead face a maximum $25 civil penalty.

Virginia is on track to become the 16th US state to decriminalize marijuana after the state’s House and Senate approved a decriminalization bill this week. 

First, on Monday, the House gave the green light for its decriminalization bill in a vote of 64-34, followed by the state Senate approving its own bill on Tuesday by a vote of 27-13.

The House version foresees a $25 fine for small marijuana possession charges, while the Senate voted for a maximum civil penalty of $50 or 5 hours of community service.

Under Virginia’s current law, low-level weed charges could lead to a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

Virginia took a major step toward becoming the latest state to decriminalize marijuana on Monday, with a bill advancing out of one half of the Commonwealth’s general assembly.

The Democratic-controlled Virginia House of Delegates passed HB 972, a bill that seeks to effectively treat simple marijuana possession like a parking ticket.  If it were to become law, HB 927 would ensure that anyone busted for simple possession of pot would only be subject to a civil penalty carrying a maximum fine of $50. Currently under Virginia law, a first time offense like that could land you in jail for up to 30 days, or with a fine of up to $500.

Optimism was high last year after Gov. Ralph Northam signed House Bill 1839 at Virginia State University’s Randolph Farm, making it legal for farmers to grow Hemp in Virginia. Most of those good feelings have failed to deliver over the past year. The visualized hemp “promised land” has instead turned out to be a wild wild west, rife with clunky regulations and chaotic markets.

Before commercial legalization, VSU was one of three universities in the state researching hemp and now works with the Virginia Cooperative Extension to spread knowledge about the crop.

Virginia may be a step closer to reducing its draconian punishments for small-time cannabis possession. SB2, which would clear some past cannabis-related offenses from individuals’ records and reduce sentencing possession offenses, passed from the State Senate judiciary committee by an 11-2 vote, to the finance committee on Wednesday. 

Virginia’s governor used his annual State of the Commonwealth speech on Wednesday night to call on lawmakers to enact marijuana reform.

“We need to take an honest look at our criminal justice system to make sure we’re treating people fairly and using taxpayer dollars wisely,” Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said. “This means decriminalizing marijuana possession—and clearing the records of people who’ve gotten in trouble for it.”

Virginia looks poised to join the ranks of states to decriminalize marijuana, with Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam announcing last week that he backs the policy.

The proposal is part of Northam’s broader criminal justice reform agenda for the new year, which along with cannabis decriminalization includes parole reform, raising the felony larceny threshold, raising the age of juvenile transfer to adult court, and the permanent elimination of driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines, fees and court costs.

“We do grams, eighths, quarters, half ounces, pounds, wholesale pounds — however you want it,” Jacob Stretch said, standing between crates of dried hemp in his living room that doubles as his hemp processing and drying facility. Stretch, owner of Chesapeake Blue, just finished his first season growing industrial hemp as a registered grower and processor on his family’s farm.

Industrial hemp is poised to be a fast growing sector of agriculture in Virginia. Hemp advocacy group Vote Hemp estimates 2017 retail sales of hemp products neared $820 million nationally and will continue to grow.