A legislative push has mounted in Nashville that seeks to reduce the penalty for individuals who are found possessing or casually exchanging small amounts of marijuana to allow them to avoid a criminal record.

A newly filed ordinance sponsored by three Metro Council members would lessen the penalty for people who knowingly possess or exchange a half-ounce of marijuana (14.175 grams) or less to a $50 civil penalty. A court also could choose to suspend the civil penalty and instead mandate 10 hours of community service.

Under Tennessee law, violators of this offense face a misdemeanor charge that is punishable of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Metro Councilman Dave Rosenberg, a self-described libertarian who is among those who have introduced the Nashville ordinance, said his bill would simply create a “local parallel ordinance” to the state law.

He argued it would work within the confines of state law, likening the decriminalization measure to Metro’s law for littering, which he said has penalties not as severe as what is outlined in state law.

“This would allow the police to just write a ticket,” said Rosenberg, who called it needlessly expensive and time consuming for police to arrest people over the marijuana misdemeanor and misguided to give offenders criminal records.

He said that someone who makes a mistake as a kid can be haunted his entire life because of the criminal offenses he could face under the current marijuana law here.

“It’s very unproductive,” he said. “This has been an issue that has been moving nationwide from Florida to Washington as our society has come to understand that the most harmful effect of marijuana is marijuana laws.”

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry's press secretary, Sean Braisted, said in statement Wednesday evening that "the mayor is still reviewing the proposed ordinance and its implications but is generally supportive of efforts to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana and looks forward to hearing more about this specific proposal."

But Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said the police department opposes the ordinance in its current form.

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