In this video, our drug offense Polk County attorneys explain how for the first time in U.S. history, The House of Representatives passed a bill that would federally decriminalize marijuana. The vote comes as many states have legalized the production, sale, and use of marijuana at varying levels. The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act of 2019 is a bill sponsored by former California senator and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The bill proposes to decriminalize marijuana by removing it from the United States list of controlled substances, in addition to establishing the following reforms:

• Free up Small Business Administration loans for marijuana-related businesses;
• Prohibit the denial of federal benefits based on past marijuana-related conduct or convictions for U.S. citizens and immigrants;
• Eliminate federal criminal penalties on cannabis, and institute a system “to expunge past convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses; and
• Add a 5% tax on all marijuana sales and place that money into a federal fund that runs programs to assist areas significantly affected by the war on drugs.

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In this video, our Polk County traffic attorneys explain how an aggravated OWI​ involves certain aggravating factors that elevate the charge from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor​ or felony misdemeanor. Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), is the same as a DUI or DWI in other states, just different terminology. An individual commits the offense of operating while intoxicated if he or she operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drug or a combination of the two. As in all other states, it is illegal to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher while driving, or having a controlled substance in the blood as tested through blood, urine, or breathalyzer.