Radio Iowa You are here: Home Bill would reduce charge for possession of small amounts of pot A bill that would reduce the penalty for people caught with small amounts of marijuana has again cleared a subcommittee in the Iowa Senate. Supporters say the bill will help Iowans who have difficulty qualifying for college scholarships, loans and jobs because of a marijuana possession conviction. “We think it’s a small and measured approach to this issue,” Lisa Davis Cook of the Iowa Association for Justice said during a senate subcommittee hearing. If the bill becomes law, people possessing five grams or less would be charged with a simple misdemeanor. A first offense with any amount of marijuana today is an aggravated misdemeanor that could land a person in jail for up to six months.