Two county illegal Cannabis bills have passed Key Committees in Sacramento. Earlier this year, the county sponsored two key pieces of state legislation to help fight illegal cannabis farming. Last week both bills advanced after receiving unanimous approval in committee hearings in the State Legislature. SB 1426 creates tougher criminal penalties for illegal cannabis-related environmental crimes. It allows prosecutors to charge illegal cannabis cultivators growing over 50 marijuana plants with either a felony or misdemeanor for stealing water, polluting groundwater, or damaging the environment with hazardous chemicals and pesticides. AB 2728 creates a graduated civil penalty structure. It prescribes higher fines based on the number of cannabis plants that are illegally cultivated.
