ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Monday that softens penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana and allows for the expungement of some past offenses.
The law changes an unlawful possession of marijuana statute into a violation that’s similar to a traffic ticket, instead of a criminal charge.
\Under the new law, the maximum penalty is $50 for possessing less than one ounce of pot and a maximum of $200 for between one and two ounces.
The law also requires that records tied to low-level marijuana cases be automatically sealed and creates a process for expungement. It will take effect in 30 days.
Advocates for legal marijuana acknowledge the law is a step forward but also say it falls short of addressing a web of negative consequences that come with keeping marijuana illegal.
Legalize it.
Yes, legalize it everywhere. In the meantime move to Nevada where it is legal for any and all purposes – AND – employers are not allowed to drug test you for it. As Nevada moves further and further to the left and freedom, I have become more and more proud to be a Lake Tahoe Sierra Nevadan.