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NORML Supporting Illinois Governor's Compromise on Pot Bill

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 said 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," said Dan Linn, Executive Director of NORML's Illinois chapter.

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. 

Harvest Public Media’s reporter in Springfield, Ill., comes to Harvest with a background of covering state government and rural issues. For the past eight years, Bill was general manager of public radio station WUIS in Springfield. Prior to that, he spent a decade as State Capitol bureau chief for Illinois Public Radio. During his time in the Illinois statehouse Bill won several awards including Best Investigative Reporter from the Associated Press and Best Statehouse Beat Reporting from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors in 2004. Bill also spent eight years as News Director at WIUM public radio in Macomb, Ill., and is a past president of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association.