Decriminalization of LSD Bill [Passed]

[Јas]

Tally on Tabling Motion
Aye: 3 (Verily; Moderate; Sam)
Nay: 3 (Ebowed; SoS; Earl)
Absent: 1 (afleitch)
Yet to Vote: 3 (Brandon; Friz; Sensei)

[Јas]

With four in favor, four opposed and two not voting, Mr. Vice-President, you may do your duty.

Nay.

I don't find myself in favour of the sometime attitude of the Senate in sweeping such matters away because there isn't a clear majority for either of 2 radically different actions. I would urge the Senate to retry and amend as necessary. Discuss, debate and compromise with a view to consensus is my recommendation.

[Јas]

This Bill will also require a cloture motion before moving to final vote.

[Јas]

Voting is now open on the following amendment.
Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain accordingly.

Legalization Decriminalization of LSD Bill

Section 1: Applicability
1. This law shall remove all federal restrictions on LSD in addition to legalization in Nyman and other federal territories which do not form a region.
2. The Regions of Atlasia shall be free to legalize and regulate LSD in any manner which they may choose.

Section 2 1: In Regards to the Legal Status of LSD
1. The possession and consumption of LSD (also known as lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD-25, or "acid"), a non-addictive semisynthetic psychedelic drug, shall be lawful no longer be a prosecutable offense under the law for anyone who is 18 years or older.
2. This law shall not be interpreted as to decriminalize driving under the influence of LSD, the penalties for which shall be the same as driving with a blood alcohol content higher than the legal limit, or the production and sale of LSD.
3. The sale of LSD to anyone 18 years or older shall be punished by a fine of $1,000 for the first offense and $5,000 for each subsequent offense. The sale of LSD to persons under 18 years of age shall continue to be punished in accordance with current law.

Section 3: Taxation
1. Taxes on LSD will be 30%.  Individual regions may set their own taxes on LSD as they see fit in addition to the federal tax which shall not exceed 20%.
2. Federal revenue raised from taxes on LSD will be split evenly among the following two funds:
a.) 50% of tax revenues will be distributed to the federal needle exchange program established in Act to Establish Atlasian Policy on HIV/AIDS.
b.) 50% of tax revenue will be granted to medical and scientific research on the possible medicinal uses of LSD and other psychadelic drugs.
3. Nothing in this section may prohibit regions from distributing possible tax revenues obtained from regulated LSD sales to whatever programs deemed appropriate.

Section 4 2: Status of Currently Incarcerated Nonviolent LSD Users
1. Persons convicted by a federal, territory, or District of Columbia court prior to this legislation coming into force February 29, 2008 of the production, possession, distribution, or sale of LSD may file with that court for a removal of sentence to time served.  Such removal shall be granted under this act only if the plaintiff can show that his activity would not be illegal if the provisions of Section 2 or 3 of this act had been in force at the time of conviction.  The burden of proof for a removal of sentence under this act shall be the plaintiff's.  Removal of sentence under this act shall not involve expunging non-LSD related convictions from any person's criminal record.  Nothing in this section shall alter or affect any other process of pardon or parole available with respect to such crimes.

[Јas]

Result on Amendment
Aye: 6 (Moderate; Speed of Sound; Verily; Bacon King; Sensei; afleitch)
Nay: 2 (Ebowed; Friz)
Abstain [Didn't Vote]: 2 (Jake; Sam Spade)

[Јas]

I would like to take the floor for a second, if I may (meaning Im doing it anyway):


We should all take a real hard look at what just happened here today. Days turned to weeks as we grinded away at this bill, with no headway at all. Through all the history of just letting it go, and all of the difficulty of pushing a controversial bill through with the current senate makeup, we did it. We sat down, pulled out what didnt work, inserted what did, and never gave up on making Atlasia a better place to be, even during what seemed inevitable failure. Well done gang, I, for am, and proud of what we have done.

--Speed of Sound

I would like to second these remarks. I'm glad that the bill wasn't tabled and that reasoned compromise and consensus was achieved and hope that when such difficulties arise again similar co-operation can yield positive results.