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Ordinances Enacted by Units of Local Government Not Affected by New Law Decriminalizing Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia.
By: Kateah M. McMasters
Effective July 29, 2016, the possession of certain small amounts of cannabis and drug paraphernalia are no longer criminal offenses. The bill that was signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner on July 29, 2016 decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of cannabis and drug paraphernalia by amending the portions of the Illinois Criminal Code pertaining to possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. Under the amended Cannabis Control Act (720 ILCS 550/1 et seq.), a person in possession of less than 10 grams of any substance containing cannabis is guilty of a civil law violation. Such civil violation is punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. Similarly, under the amended Drug Paraphernalia Control Act (720 ILCS 600/1 et seq.), any person who is also in possession of drug paraphernalia [during the civil cannabis violation] is guilty of a civil violation and subject to the same $100 minimum fine and $200 maximum fine.
The proceeds of the fines for these civil violations are distributed as follows:
- $10.00 to the Circuit Clerk;
- $10.00 to the law enforcement agency that issued the violation;
- $15.00 to the County;
- $10.00 to the Appellate Prosecutor;
- $10.00 to the State’s Attorney; and
- The remainder to the law enforcement agency that issued the citation ($45 to $145).
The Cannabis Control Act was also amended by adding a new section which addresses the impact of the changes upon local ordinances. Section 17.5 of the Act explicitly states: “The provisions of any ordinance enacted by any municipality or unit of local government which impose fines upon cannabis other than as defined in this Act are not invalidated or affected by this Act.”
Therefore, municipalities and park districts are not required to change their ordinances in order to comply with the new law. Municipalities and park districts may still issue ordinance citations for possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as impose fines for such possession in excess of $200. However, because the law is already in effect, municipal and park district police departments should immediately review department policies and procedures with regard to processing violations for possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia as either ordinance violations, civil violations, misdemeanors, and/or felonies.
Posted in Kateah McMasters, Local Government and Public Finance, Police