-
Rosy Spraker was only a half-mile from the finish line of her seventh Boston Marathon when the bombs went off. She received her medal later in the mail at her Lorton, Va., home. But she couldn't bring herself to...More >> Rosy Spraker was only a half-mile from the finish line of her seventh Boston Marathon when the bombs went off. She received her medal later in the mail at her Lorton, Va., home. But she couldn't bring herself to wear it...More >> Thousands of bridges around the U.S. may be one freak accident or mistake away from collapse, even if the spans are deemed structurally sound.More >> Thousands of bridges around the U.S. may be one freak accident or mistake away from collapse, even if the spans are deemed structurally sound.More >> Police in the southern Russian region of Dagestan say a female suicide bomber has injured at least 11 police officers and civilians.More >> A female suicide bomber blew herself up in the southern Russian region of Dagestan on Saturday, injuring at least 18, including two children and five police officers, authorities said. The attacker was later identified as a...More >> Gay rights campaigners and their opponents clashed at an unsanctioned rally in Moscow but a heavy police presence in Ukraine kept the two sides apart at a demonstration which went ahead despite a court order.More >> Gay-rights campaigners and their opponents clashed at an unsanctioned rally in the Russian capital on Saturday, but a heavy police presence in Ukraine kept the two sides apart at that country's first-ever gay pride march.More >> The Diaguita Indians live in the foothills of the Andes, just downstream from the world's highest gold mine, where for as long as anyone can remember they've drunk straight from the glacier-fed river that...More >> The Diaguita Indians live in the foothills of the Andes, just downstream from the world's highest gold mine, where for as long as anyone can remember they've drunk straight from the glacier-fed river that irrigates...More >>
By ANITA HOFSCHNEIDER
Associated Press
HONOLULU (AP) - The Hawaii state Senate has voted unanimously to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.
The state Senate approved the bill Tuesday. The proposal now goes to the House for consideration.
The bill creates a civil violation for the possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana. Lawmakers added a $1,000 fine to emphasize that the use of marijuana is still illegal despite the shift from the criminal to the civil realm.
Sen. Clayton Hee says the bill is designed to reduce the backlog in the criminal justice system.
Law enforcement officials oppose the bill and say that decriminalization would make it harder to enforce the law against the drug.
A related bill to legalize the drug died in the House earlier this session.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WSFA, a Raycom Media Station.
