A marijuana advocacy group is urging Illinois lawmakers to accept Governor Bruce Rauner's changes to a marijuana decriminalization plan.
In his amendatory veto, the Governor supported lowering penalties for possession of pot but he did tighten the amount someone could have to avoid a criminal charge.
The National Organization to Reform Marijuana laws says it's still a move in the right direction.
"I think if he's honest about reducing our prison population, if he's honest about reforming our criminal justice system, this is a very easy win I think to accomplish those types of goals," Dan Linn, Executive Director of NORML's Illinois chapter, said.
Linn says over the past decade he's seen more support come from fiscally conservative groups.
"Now people that aren't really aligned with allowing people to consume cannabis … they just think it’s costing us too much, the enforcement of it,” Linn said. “And that's where we're starting to see some momentum to change these policies."
This measure would make possession of up to ten grams of marijuana punishable by a fine of up to $200. It also sets a standard for how much THC could be in a person's bloodstream to qualify for driving while impaired.
