Supporters of decriminalizing - or even legalizing - the possession of small amounts of marijuana have cleared a major hurdle. The Vermont House voted 98-to-44 on Friday to make it a civil offense - instead of a crime - to possess one ounce or less of pot.

Lawmakers are set to vote on a bill this week that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The House Judiciary Committee has been taking testimony for weeks and the bill is likely to pass Tuesday afternoon.

A key House committee took testimony on Thursday about whether possessing small amounts of marijuana should be a civil offense, not a crime. In Montpelier, decriminalization was once considered one of the key issues of the legislative session, but it has recently taken a back seat.

Last week's election energized supporters of marijuana legalization, with Colorado and Washington voters legalizing the drug in their states. In Burlington, voters passed a non-binding­ referendum with 70 percent of the vote in favor of legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis and hemp.

On election night, Burlington voters registered their support for legalizing marijuana in the city in a non-binding referendum. But leaders at the Statehouse say a more likely course of action is to decriminalize the drug.

Public safety officials have given conditional approval to the state's first two medical marijuana dispensaries, including one in Burlington. Other towns are deciding whether to opt out of the program by crafting zoning ordinances that preclude dispensaries.

Governor Peter Shumlin and GOP challenger Randy Brock have very different views about whether marijuana should be decriminalized.

Vermont State Police say a routine traffic stop last night turned into a marijuana arrest.

We look at the push to reclassify marijuana as a drug with medicinal benefits and we hear about the shrinking State Auditor's office.

A Burlington Democrat plans to introduce a bill in the Vermont House that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Senate President Peter Shumlin sparked controversy recently when he came out in support of decriminalizing marijuana. The candidates for governor have found it can be a challenging topic to talk about.

A grassroots group spearheaded by a former state legislator hopes to build support for reforming Vermont's marijuana laws. Proponents say Vermont could more easily control marijuana by moving it off the streets and into state-regulated stores. Law enforcement officials disagree.

About 100 advocates of legalizing marijuana rallied outside the New Hampshire Statehouse on the eve of a Senate vote to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.

A bill making its way through the senate would create up to five "compassion centers"  to legally disburse medical marijuana.  Also, one senator wants to further regulate slaughterhouses, and we celebrate the Iranian New Year.

New Hampshire's House has voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults.

On Town Meeting Day voters in Montpelier came out strongly in favor of de-criminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Vermont State Police have seized $200,000 worth of marijuana believed to have been dropped from a plane into a field near the U.S.-Canadian border.