Two years ago in 2014 the Missouri legislature managed to pass SB 491 a revised uniform criminal code law. Attorneys, judges, legislators and advocacy groups worked eight years to develop the measure.
Governor Nixon let the bill become law without his signature citing several “drafting” errors, but on January 1, 2017 all updated provisions will be enacted.
Missouri cannabis activists and members of the Show-Me State’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) are pleased with the penalty reduction for possession of cannabis. The law is very limited in scope and shouldn’t be considered “decriminalization” of cannabis.
“Decriminalization means no arrest and no criminal record,” says Dan Viets, J.D., who helped author the bill and who is secretary and on the board of NORML, “but if cops choose to book you, they still can. It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
A first-time possession offense of 10 grams or less of marijuana will become a Class D misdemeanor and not a Class A misdemeanor.
Possession of cannabis under the Class D designation means a fine, instead of jail time. The new law imposes a fine of $250-$1,000, replacing the prior penalty of up to a year of incarceration and a fine. A conviction will still appear on a defendant’s record. 