A D.C. Council member introduced a bill Wednesday that would decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana.

Individuals caught with small amounts of marijuana would pay a $100 fine under the bill drafted by council member Tommy Wells, the Washington Post reported. Under the current law, possession of up to an ounce of marijuana  is a misdemeanor punishable up to a $1,000 fine and six months in prison.

A majority of council members – including Foggy Bottom’s representative and mayoral candidate Jack Evans and GW law professor Mary Cheh – have voiced support for the bill. Wells, chairman of the council’s public safety and judiciary committee, said he expects a formal vote before Christmas.

Wells claims the legislation, which wouldn’t slap violators with a criminal record, would allow more city residents to land jobs.

D.C. outranks the 50 states in per-capita marijuana arrests, according to an American Civil Liberties Union report last month. It also showed that black individuals were eight times more likes than white people to face arrest for possession.

But Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier said in a release Wednesday that the report’s arguments are “flawed.”

“This is a significant issue that merits robust discussion on a broad spectrum of issues, including concerns about the risk to children with increased access, the health impact of increasingly potent plants, and conflict with federal laws,” Lanier wrote.

The Council could also vote on a bill that would legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, which has been pushed by Council member David Grosso, according to the Post. But Mayor Vincent Gray has said he worries decriminalization or legalization laws could lead to friction with Congress.