The Illinois Senate approved a measure to legalize marijuana on Wednesday night. 

The bill received just two Republican votes, one of them from Bloomington’s Jason Barickman. Some of the particulars include allowing anyone over 21 to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana. A sticking point with Republicans and some Democrats was the home grow component of the proposed law. Now only those with a medical marijuana card will be allowed to grow pot plants at home. Barickman says the compromise bill is the right way to do public policy.

There is a path forward for expungement of past pot convictions. That had been a sticking point where compromise needed to be found. The House now needs to take up the bill.