Members of the California State Assembly's Public Health Committee approved a bill that would remove marijuana from the state's criminal and civil codes and effectively legalize marijuana for all adults over 21.

The bill, AB 390, was written by Tom Ammiano, a Democrat from San Francisco. While it was not heard by the other committee -- Public Safety -- that must approve it in order for it to move forward through the legislative process, the fact that it was heard and approved by a committee at all is a win, according to Stephen Gutwillig, California state director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

“While actually passing a bill to tax and regulate marijuana may be a heavy lift in any state legislature right now, members of the Assembly today reflected the sentiment of a majority of Californians,” Gutwillig said. “Voters will get a chance to decide if California should tax and regulate marijuana at the ballot box in November."