Pubdate: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 Source: Portsmouth Herald (NH) Copyright: 2003 Seacoast Newspapers Contact: http://www.seacoastonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1157 Author: Francis X. Quinn, Associated Press LAWMAKERS REJECT MARIJUANA BILL AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Senate, voting along party lines, rejected a bill Wednesday that would specify what a "usable amount" of marijuana is in determining levels of punishment for possession. Next comes consideration in the House of Representatives, where most of the few members who have looked closely at the measure thus far have signaled their support. The proposal rejected by the Senate had been backed by a 10-3 majority of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. As put forth by the committee, the proposal would insert language in existing law to specify a threshold under which possession of marijuana becomes a mere civil infraction rather than a criminal violation. The proposed clarification would read: "possession of a usable amount of marijuana of a weight equal to or less than 11/4 ounces is a civil violation," punishable for a first offense by a forfeiture of between $200 and $400. Possession of larger amounts would be a Class E crime. Debate leading up to the Senate vote Wednesday was brief. The committee majorityis proposal would introduce needed clarity in the law, said Republican Sen. David Carpenter of Sanford. In rebuttal, Democratic Sen. Ethan Strimling of Portland cited high jail populations and argued for giving latitude to juries. The Senate vote had 18 Democrats declaring opposition to the bill and 16 Republicans in favor, with one Republican absent. Of the three senators on the Criminal Justice panel that originally considered the measure, Strimling, who is the Senate chairman, and fellow Democrat Pam Hatch of Skowhegan joined the minority voting against the bill, while Carpenter was the lone senator on the panel in favor. Nine of the 10 House members on the committee, including House Chairman George Bunker, D-Kossuth Township, voted to recommend passage, with only Democratic Rep. Stan Gerzofsky of Brunswick registering opposition. Maine has considered possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use a non-criminal offense since the mid-1970s. In other action Wednesday, the Senate went along with a prior House vote and gave final approval to a bill requiring bottlers to clearly disclose on their labels the source of water being sold. The proposal says labels must spell out the name and geographic location of the water source, without using abbreviations or acronyms. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom