Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says he’ll sign a marijuana sentencing reform proposal easing the state’s heavily punitive laws and reducing criminal penalties, a move long-sought by groups like the Libertarian Party of St. Charles Parish and ACLU of Louisiana.
Jindal also said he’d sign legislation establishing the framework to access medical marijuana.
“We are absolutely thrilled with Sen. [Fred] Mills and his efforts to get the bill to Jindal,” Wendy Adams, executive director of the Libertarian Party of St. Charles Parish, said of their longtime efforts in this direction. “Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the world – more than China, Korea or Russia. Libertarians believe we should not incarcerate nonviolent offenders, but rather help them.”
The legislation (HB 149) is a compromise between state lawmakers, who have tried to reform marijuana sentencing laws, law enforcement lobby groups and the American Civil Liberties Union. Sponsored by state Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, the proposal would lower the sentence for possession from 20 to eight years, and include a new second-chance provision for first-time offenders.
The ACLU supports the move.
“We’ve been working on this for three years so, obviously, we’re happy about it,” said Marjorie Esman, executive director of ACLU of Louisiana. “We still have among the harshest penalties in the country even with this.”
Esman said Louisiana’s stiff penalties on marijuana are part of the nation’s war on drugs, but it was based on the misguided theory that tough sentencing would be a deterrent. Law enforcement pushed for these penalties, but she said they were able to work with the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association and Louisiana District Attorney Association to reach an agreement.
If signed into law, the reform would apply to simple marijuana possession and is projected to save an estimated $17 million in jail costs and reduce the likelihood of people caught with small amounts of weed ending up with a lengthy jail sentence or a criminal conviction.
Adams said the Libertarians support medicinal marijuana, decriminalization and legalization of marijuana, but mostly from a downsizing government standpoint.
Last year, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne was among those firmly against legalizing marijuana use at a time when states like Colorado and Washington were going the other way.
Champagne argued legalization would send “the wrong message to our young people. There is not evidence that the prolonged use of this psychoactive drug makes for a productive adult.”
At the time, State Sen. Gary Smith of Norco also offered a mixed response on legalization, saying new tax revenue, and reduced court costs and jail time are positives. However, Smith expressed concern about states superseding federal laws that still outlaw the substance.
Along with legalization, the Libertarian Party of St. Charles Parish also supports opening up the hemp industry in Louisiana.
“Hemp is a great cash crop,” she said. “It can be used for paper products, clothes and energy. It’s a clean crop. Farmers would benefit from it in Louisiana.”
Be the first to comment