Today, New York governor, Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill into effect which further decriminalized marijuana.

The legislation signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo changes the penalties for small amounts of marijuana. The penalty is $50 for possessing less than one ounce of pot or a maximum of $200 for one to two ounces.

The law also requires that records tied to low-level marijuana cases be automatically sealed and creates a process for expungement. It will take effect 30 days from Monday.

There is hopes that this new legislation will address the cannabis charges which disproportionally effect New Yorkers belonging to Latino or African American heritage.

The bill does not legalize recreational marijuana. A step many New Yorkers continue to advocate for. Change continues to occur at a snail’s pace in the Empire State.