Senator Booker Introducing Bill To Legalize Marijuana
Puff, puff, pass the bill, Senator.
Senator Cory Booker will introduce new legislation to end the federal prohibition on marijuana and encourage states to also legalize it.
Booker will formally announce the legislation via Facebook on Tuesday.
The bill would amend the Controlled Substance Act to remove marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 drugs which would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
Booker’s bill would also try to incentivize states to legalize marijuana if their current laws have a “disproportionate arrest rate” on minority or low-income individuals.
The bill would also penalize states if it is determined that they are disproportionately penalizing marijuana by reducing federal funds available for building or staffing jails.
Bookers bill would also take any funds not given to penalized states to help create a “Community Reinvestment Fund” that would go to “communities most affected by the war on drugs” for job training, youth programs and community centers.
The legislation would also be retroactive so federal courts would be required to expunge marijuana-related convictions and individuals still in jail could petition to get their sentence shortened.
[image via Cory Booker’s Facebook page]
