Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2013
Source: Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, AR)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact: http://nwanews.com/nwat/Editorial/68570/letter/
Website: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/828

'POT' PENALTY PLAN FALTERS ONCE MORE

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Springfield's City Council has voted again not to 
lower the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The council Monday night defeated a proposal to limit penalties for 
possession of the drug and declined to place an alternative proposal 
on the August ballot. Supporters of the proposals said they would 
meet later to decide what their next step might be, The Springfield 
News-Leader reported.

The proposal would have required the city to charge some first- and 
second-time offenders who had 35 grams or less of marijuana with 
municipal infractions, rather than criminal misdemeanors. Exemptions 
also would have allowed suspects to be prosecuted in state court for 
multiple offenses or when other crimes are committed, or at the 
discretion of the county prosecutor.

Last summer, proponents gathered enough signatures to put the issue 
to a public vote, but council members declined to put it on the 
November ballot. Instead, the council approved the petition and then 
repealed it at the first opportunity.

In response, the proponents' attorney, Chip Sheppard, worked with 
city staff members and Councilman Cindy Rushefsky to draft an amended 
proposal, with a goal of putting it on the August ballot.

The council voted 6-2 to not approve the first proposal, and then 
agreed unanimously not to put the alternative up for a vote.

Opponents argued that the decriminalization of marijuana possession 
should be done by the state, if at all.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom