Editorial: Rauner should sign sensible marijuana bills

Two newer bills have passed through the general assembly in Illinois. One would reset the end date of the medical marijuana pilot program to be 4 years after the first dispensary opens, as opposed to 4 years after the bill was passed. As of now the pilot-program will end in 2 and a half years if this new bill does not pass. The second bill would decriminalize marijuana possession under 15 grams and replace current penalties with minor fines instead.

The bill won’t go to Rauner until an additional measure is passed that would permit court clerks to expunge records of the fines. But he should sign it when he gets it. We are clogging up our court system with low-level marijuana offenders.