A bill headed to the governor’s desk establishes penalties for drivers AND passengers if an officer finds an open container of a drink that contains T-H-C in the vehicle. Representative Zach Dieken of Granville is a state trooper.
The penalty for anyone over the age of 21 caught with an open THC infused beverage in a vehicle would be a simple misdemeanor. That’s identical to the charge for having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. For anyone under the age of 21, there’d be a 200 dollar fine for a first offense and, if there’s a second offense, they’d have to undergo a substance abuse evaluation or lose their license for up to a year. Representative Jerome Amos Jr. of Waterloo says it’s an important bill.
The bill passed the House AND Senate unanimously last week.
