Stillwater NewsPress

Breaking News

Local News

February 27, 2013

Stillwater legislator: Marijuana laws ‘shortsighted’

By Russell Hixson Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — A bill authored by a Stillwater legislator to lessen punishments for people charged with possession of marijuana will be heard by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

The House Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to send the bill to the Calendar Committee Wednesday morning. The Calendar Committee will schedule the bill on the floor agenda.

Under Oklahoma law, a second charge or subsequent possession of marijuana results in a felony charge with a minimum sentence of two to 10 years in prison and the lifelong stigma of a felony conviction.

State Rep. Cory Williams, D-Stillwater, has authored a bill which would remove marijuana from the list of substances for which a second or subsequent possession offense results in a felony conviction. The charge would be able to be enhanced on a third offense. It would not apply to those charged with distributing the drug, Williams said.

The legislator said the bill has a good chance of passing in the House but is not sure how it will fare in the Senate.

“We really have a shortsighted approach,” Williams said of the state’s marijuana laws.

He said that punishing young, nonviolent offenders — those he hopes to target with the bill — with marijuana possession for personal use becomes a burden to the state.

“It looks like we are being tough on drugs but it ends up costing us a lot,” Williams said.

Williams said it costs money to keep these offenders incarcerated. It also costs the state in lost taxes when offenders are unable to find good jobs due to a felony conviction or rely on government assistance, Williams said.

He said states like Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuana while others have begun to relax laws. Williams said he doesn’t see Oklahoma legalizing marijuana any time soon.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News
Stilly Studio
  • Savory_Stilly_Studio_05_01_13.jpg Savory crosses off goals with fifth album

    “I love the high energy stuff,” he said. “Even though it’s country, being able to rock it up, distorted guitars and just seeing the crowd, feeding off of that.”

    May 2, 2013 1 Photo

NewsPress Specials
AP Video
Raw: Aerials Show Path of Oklahoma Destruction Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla. Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
Stocks