On June 28, the California Senate Judiciary Committee approved AB 79x, the "smoke a joint, lose your license" bill, which would impose a mandatory 6-month driver's license suspension for anyone convicted of any drug offense-including possession of marijuana nowhere near a vehicle.

The Judiciary Committee's approval makes it virtually certain that the bill will be passed into law, probably before the end of the month.

At least 11 states currently have "smoke a joint, lose your license" laws on the books, including New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

For more information, contact California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer at 415-563-5858.