HARRISBURG Pa. (WHTM) – Two Pennsylvania lawmakers announced that they will be reintroducing legislation to decriminalize marijuana.

The change proposed is in regards to changing the grading of possession of a small amount of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a summary offense.

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The memo from Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Senator Camera Bartolotta (R- Beaver, Green, Washington) stated that each year in the state, many people are charged with minor possessory offenses and that those charges can hinder their ability to obtain work, childcare, and housing.

Currently, the possession of a small amount of marijuana is a misdemeanor of the third degree. The maximum penalty is 30 days in jail, and a $500 fine. In addition, if a person is convicted of a violation, PennDOT is required to suspend the license for six months.

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The bill proposes that possession of small amounts of marijuana would be reduced to a summary offense and would not cause the person’s driver’s license to be suspended if they are convicted. The penalty for possession will be a $25 fine for all offenses, and the penalty for consumption in public will be a $100 fine for all offenses.

According to the memo, this legislation is based on local ordinances already in place in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Erie.

Governor Josh Shapiro has previously offered his support for the decriminalization of adult-use recreational marijuana, saying “our state legislature should pass comprehensive marijuana reform, including legislation” in a May 2021 tweet and noting that “too many Pennsylvanians are locked up for marijuana offenses” in August 2022.

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