The state’s highest court has taken up the dispute over the legality of a new voter-approved ordinance in the state’s largest city that lessens criminal penalties for marijuana possession.
The Kansas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Wichita to respond by May 6 to arguments made by the Kansas attorney general seeking to nullify the ordinance because it conflicts with state law. The court also halted for now proceedings in Sedgwick County District Court that had also aimed to resolve the issue.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt asked the Supreme Court to rule so that the ordinance’s validity can be settled quickly.
Wichita voters approved the measure on April 7 with 54 percent in favor. It imposes no more than a $50 fine for first-time possession of small amounts of pot.