By Barry Bard

 

A Colorado Senate committee voted 5-0 in favor of House Bill 1220 on Wednesday. The fast-tracked bill, introduced just three weeks ago, seeks to eradicate Colorado’s black market by setting a plant count limit on Colorado home growers.

While the Senate committee voted in favor of lowering the statewide limit from 99 plants to 12 plants, the committee also amended the bill to allow medical marijuana patients to register a 24-plant count with state and local authorities.

The Senate committee also amended the bill to ensure individuals violating their plant counts would receive a misdemeanor, not a felony, for their second offense. The third offense would result in a felony.

Because of these changes, the bill now heads back to the House for another vote. Thereafter, the bill heads to Governor Hickenlooper’s desk.

The governor has deemed this bill and wiping out the black market as “a top priority.”