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February 1, 2018 City Council Regular Meeting
Title
18. First Reading of Amendment to Part 9, Chapter 1 of the Code of Ordinances to Provide Penalties for Possession of Marijuana
Description

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-32-6(a) and (c), the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County is vested with jurisdiction to dispose of cases where a person is charged with  possession of one ounce or less of marijuana when the offense occurs within the corporate limits of the City of Savannah. Currently there is no ordinance setting punishment for less than one ounce of marijuana. 

District 1 Alderman Van R. Johnson II has proposed an ordinance that would provide that a person convicted of a violation of simple marijuana possession be punished by a fine not to exceed $150.00, and shall not be punished by a term of any imprisonment.

The ordinance's intention is to enhance public safety and eliminate costs by reducing the amount of time police officers spend in connection with the arrest, processing and transportation of those accused of simple marijuana possession; and to prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system and avoiding the enduring stigma associated therewith.

Recommendation
Contact
Brooks Stillwell, City Attorney
Financial Impact
Review Comments
Attachments
Ordinance Sec. 9-2026 Marijuana Simple Possession.pdf
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