By Geoff Dornan, Capitol Bureau Source: Nevada Appeal Criminal penalties for growing marijuana are on their way to being reinstated after a vote by the the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. The 1999 Legislature accidentally deleted the penalties while passing language in a different bill. Lawmakers were told because of that error there has been no criminal penalty for growing marijuana since then. The committee voted to make cultivation of marijuana a felony. But Senate Bill 242 provides stiffer penalties for growing larger amounts of pot. The original bill would have restored the old law, making cultivation a category B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The version approved by the Judiciary Committee on Monday makes cultivation of less than 50 pounds of marijuana a category E felony normally punishable by a suspended sentence and probation. The penalty would be 1-4 years for growing 50-100 pounds, up to five years for growing up to 1,000 pounds. The old 20-year sentence would still be available for growing more than 1,000 pounds of pot. The bill goes to the Senate for a vote later this week. Committee Chairman Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said the Legislature can provide an exemption for those with a medical marijuana card when that bill arrives at the Senate. The medical marijuana program was approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Friday allowing those with certain diseases to register with the state and have a personal supply of pot or growing marijuana plants in their possession. Source: Nevada Appeal (NV) Author: Geoff Dornan, Capitol Bureau Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Nevada Appeal Contact: appeal@tahoe.com Website: http://tahoe.com/appeal/