A bill that would make low-level marijuana possession a civil offense comparable to a traffic ticket failed to garner the full support of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner earlier this month. Instead, the Republican governor sent the measure back to the legislature with his proposed amendments. Under the provisions of an amendatory veto, the House and Senate can elect to approve the bill with Rauner’s changes or to let it die and propose a new bill at a later date.
Gubernatorial Amendments
In his veto letter, the governor took issue with several of the bill’s specifics, while expressing support for the decriminalization effort. Governor Rauner has previously stated that he hopes to reduce the state’s prison population by 25 percent in the next ten years, and he acknowledged the marijuana bill as a potential contributor to his goal. He believes, however, the proposed law was too lenient in a number of areas, including the possession limit and specified fines.
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