Legislation to decriminalize the possession of marijuana paraphernalia throughout Louisiana has been given approval by the state’s full legislature.
Louisiana’s full legislature has voted to pass House Bill 165, sending it to Governor Jeff Landry. The bill received final approval by the House of Representatives today by a vote of 69 to 24. It passed the Senate on May 21 by a vote of 24 to 14.
Governor Landry now has 10 days to sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law on the 11th day without his signature.
The proposed law “removes incarceration as a punishment for the possession of certain drug paraphernalia in quantities not exceeding those required for individual personal use.” It “provides that the punishment for the possession of certain drug paraphernalia in quantities not exceeding those required for individual personal use is a fine of:
(1) $100 on a first conviction.
(2) $500 on a second conviction.
(3) $2,500 on a third or subsequent conviction.”
In Louisiana, the possession of up to half an ounce (14 grams) of marijuana has been decriminalized since 2021. However, the law did not decriminalize the possession of marijuana paraphernalia, such as pipes and bongs. This has resulted in continued arrests and prosecutions, which contradicts the spirit of the 2021 law. House Bill 165 aims to remedy this discrepancy.
You can find the full one-page text of House Bill 165 by clicking here.
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