Tennessee’s Senate Bill 923, introduced by Senator Heidi Campbell (D) last month, has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 31.
The bill, filed on February 5 and advanced through its second reading in the Senate the following week, would decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of up to five marijuana plants, for those 21 and older.
The proposed law grants local governments the power to impose civil penalties for marijuana possession in public places, but does not allow them to institute criminal penalties.
SB 923 would also allow non-commercial exchanges without legal consequences, as long as no money or valuables are involved. Additionally, the bill proposes raising the threshold for felony marijuana possession, reducing penalties for those caught with between one-half ounce and one ounce.
Under current law, any amount of marijuana possession is a potential misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
The March 31 hearing will allow lawmakers and the public to give their input on the proposal. Although a vote may follow the hearing, it’s also possible the committee could delay any action.
