For Immediate Release:
March 21, 2002
Panel Discussion Criminal Justice Reform Through Cannabis.
Monday, March 21, 2002, 6:00 pm Wolfcreek Library, 3100 Enon Road 30331.
The event is being hosted by Bevie Stitch and Dr. Mark Baker.
Join the prestige list of speakers presenting facts and conversations regarding the Ordinance: ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 15, CRIMINAL OFFENSES, CHAPTER 1, IN 5
GENERAL, OF THE CITY CODE, PARDONING CERTAIN CHARGES UNDER SEC. 15- 6
1006(A) FOR THE POSSESSION OF ONE OUNCE OR LESS OF MARIJUANA, 7
ALLEVIATING THE PUBLIC BURDEN OF FUTURE CHARGES UNDER SEC. 15-1006(A) 8
FOR THE POSSESSION OF ONE OUNCE OR LESS OF MARIJUANA AND FOR 9
OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSES 10
Speakers for the evening are:
Rizza Islam, Dr. Hoges MD, Marcus Colem, Maci Hall, Marvin Arrington, Brianna McGeehan, and Alfred Shivy Brooks.
Ordinance listed below:
STATE OF GEORGIA
COUNTY OF FULTON
CITY OF SOUTH FULTON __________________________
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 15, CRIMINAL OFFENSES, CHAPTER 1, IN 5
GENERAL, OF THE CITY CODE, PARDONING CERTAIN CHARGES UNDER SEC. 15- 6
1006(A) FOR THE POSSESSION OF ONE OUNCE OR LESS OF MARIJUANA, 7
ALLEVIATING THE PUBLIC BURDEN OF FUTURE CHARGES UNDER SEC. 15-1006(A) 8
FOR THE POSSESSION OF ONE OUNCE OR LESS OF MARIJUANA AND FOR 9
OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSES
(Sponsored by Councilperson Mark Baker)
WHEREAS, the City of South Fulton (“City”) is a municipal corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Georgia;
WHEREAS, the duly elected governing authority of the City, is the Mayor and
Council thereof (“City Council”);
WHEREAS, the City Charter authorizes the City to enact rules and regulations
concerning the public health, safety, and welfare of the City;
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that enforcement of the State law prohibiting
possession of less than one ounce of marijuana has been inequitable and has fallen
disproportionately on certain subsets of the population; 24
WHEREAS, arrest and/or conviction for the State law offense of possession of less
than one ounce of marijuana presents employment obstacles which marginalize broad
swaths of the population
WHEREAS, the City Council further finds that the prosecution and punishment of 30
individuals charged with the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, where such
person has no accompanying felony charge related to the incident, presents greater harm
to the health, safety, and welfare of the City than the act of possession itself; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance aims to 1) pardon individuals charged with the 35
possession of one ounce or less of marijuana under Sec. 15-1006(a), where such person 36
has no accompanying felony charge related to the incident and 2) cease future charges 37
of persons with possession of one ounce or less of marijuana under Sec. 15-1006(a), 38
where such person has no accompanying felony charge related to the incident; and 39
WHEREAS, this Ordinance is in the best interests of the health and general 41
welfare of the City, its residents and general public.
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON HEREBY ORDAINS as 43
follows:
Section 1. The City of South Fulton Code of Ordinances, Title 15, Criminal
Offenses, is hereby amended by adding a new subjection (f) Pardon, to Section 15-
1006, Civil possession offense, which shall read as follows:
TITLE 15 – CRIMINAL OFFENSES
CHAPTER 1. – IN GENERAL
Sec. 15-1006. – Civil possession offense
(f) Pardon of marijuana possession (ounce or less) in non-felony cases
1) It is the policy of the City that the arrest, prosecution, and punishment of individuals
charged with the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, and no felony
charge accompanying such possession charge, presents greater harm to the
health, safety, and welfare of the city than the act of possession itself.
2) Pardon for pending cases. Any person charged under Sec. 15-1006(a) of this
Chapter for a possession violation occurring on or after January 1, 2022, shall be
deemed pardoned of such charge under Sec. 15-1006(a), immediately upon and
by operation of law.
3) Non-prosecution under Sec. 15-1006(a) for future offenses. As of the effective
date of this Ordinance, the City police department shall not charge any person with
the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana under Sec. 15-1006(a), where
no felony charge accompanies such possession charge.
4) Nothing under this Ordinance shall preclude a police officer from taking all
customary incidental investigatory actions that would otherwise be available to an
officer with a reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that a crime of
marijuana possession has occurred or from charging an individual with any other
crime for which probable cause exists.
5) Nothing in this Ordinance shall entitle any person to any reimbursement for past
and/or paid fines.
Section 2. Effective Date. The effective date of this Ordinance shall be on the date
of adoption unless provided otherwise by applicable local, state and/or federal law.
Section 3. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that: (a) All
sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Ordinance are or were,
upon their enactment, believed by the City Council to be fully valid, enforceable and
constitutional.
(b) To the greatest extent allowed by law, each and every section, paragraph,
sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is severable from every other section,
paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance. No section, paragraph,
sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is mutually dependent upon any other
section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Resolution.
(c) In the event that any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this
Ordinance shall, for any reason whatsoever, be declared invalid, unconstitutional or
otherwise unenforceable by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent
jurisdiction, it is the express intent of the City Council that such invalidity,
unconstitutionality or unenforceability shall, to the greatest extent allowed by law, not
render invalid, unconstitutional or otherwise unenforceable any of the remaining phrases,
clauses, sentences, paragraphs or sections of the Ordinance.
Section 4. All Ordinance and Resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby expressly
repealed.
Section 5. The City Attorney, City Clerk and contracted City Codifier are authorized
to make non-substantive formatting and renumbering edits to this ordinance for proofing,
codification, and supplementation purposes. The final version of all ordinances shall be
filed with the City Clerk.
The foregoing Ordinance No. 2022-xxx was moved for approval by Councilmember
___________. The motion was seconded by Councilmember
_______________________________, and being put to a vote, the result was as follows:
AYE NAY
Khalid kamau, Mayor ___________ __________
Carmalitha Gumbs ___________ __________
Catherine Foster Rowell ___________ __________
Helen Zenobia Willis, Mayor Pro Tem ___________ __________
J. C. Sebastian ___________ __________
Corey Reeves ___________ __________
Natasha Williams ___________ __________
Mark Baker ___________ __________
148
149
THIS ORDINANCE so adopted this _________ day of _________2022. CITY OF
SOUTH FULTON, GEORGIA.
Khalid kamau, MAYOR 156
ATTEST:
CORY E. ADAMS, SR., CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
VINCENT HYMAN, CITY ATTORNEY
Contact information is as follows:
CITY OF SOUTH FULTON
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd. SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30336
Mayor khalid kamau
Tel. (470) 809-7721
E-mail: mayor@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2022- December 31, 2025
Councilwoman Catherine Foster-Rowell (District 1)
Tel. (470) 809-7701
E-mail: catherine.rowell@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2020- December 31, 2023
Councilwoman Carmalitha L. Gumbs (District 2)
Tel. (470) 809-7702
E-mail: carmalitha.gumbs@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2022- December 31, 2025
Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis (District 3)
Tel: (470) 809-7703
E-mail: helen.willis@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2020- December 31, 2023
Councilman Jaceey Sebastian (District 4)
Tel. (470) 809-7704 E-mail: jaceey.sebastian@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2022- December 31, 2025
Councilman Corey A. Reeves (District 5)
Tel. (470) 809-7705
E-mail: corey.reeves@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2020- December 31, 2023
Councilwoman Natasha Williams (District 6)
Tel. (470) 809-7706
E-mail: natasha.williams@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term: January 1, 2022- December 31, 2025
VACANT (District 7)
Tel. (470) 809-7707
E-mail: Yusuf.otway@cityofsouthfultonga.gov
Term:
