The Alabama House Judiciary Committee will be considering a bill that would decriminalize less than one ounce of marijuana. Currently, Alabamans caught with small amounts of marijuana can be sent to jail for up to one year. These bills, HB 272 and SB 251, would change the penalty for possessing less than one ounce of marijuana to a violation instead of a misdemeanor. That means the penalty would be paying a fine of up to $250 instead of facing jail time. There is real momentum to pass this bipartisan…

Last week, Alabama joined the growing list of states considering taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol this year. Sponsored by Rep. Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham), HB 550 would remove all criminal penalties for possession of marijuana by adults. The proposal was referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. [caption id="attachment_6218" align="alignleft" width="240"] Rep. Patricia Todd[/caption] Rep. Todd’s bill, the Alabama…