Louisiana Senate approves bill for streamlined expungements of first-time marijuana possession convictions. The bill is now on the Governor’s desk.
After the House passed the bill from Rep. Delisha Boyd, (D), last month, it was moved through the Senate committee before being approved on the floor by a vote of 32-7 on Monday.
After 90 days, people who have been convicted for possessing up 14 grams of marijuana as a first offence can ask the court to erase their records.
This would speed up the process of relief as people are currently required to wait five years for certain records to be expunged.
Bill had been amended by a House Committee to state that misdemeanor marijuana cases could not involve more than fourteen grams. A provision that waived court fees for the first time cannabis expungements was also removed.
The new measure caps fees at $300 for record clearing.
The bill states that “the clerk shall immediately forward the collected processing fees to the sheriff and district attorney…and the processing fee amount will be remitted in equal amounts immediately upon receipt to the district prosecutor’s office and sheriff general fund.”
The law also includes a template of a motion for expungement that can be filled out by the person and submitted to the court.
Kevin Caldwell is a legislative manager for the Marijuana Policy Project. He told Marijuana moment that his organization was “excited” to see the cannabis policy in Louisiana continue to progress.
He said, “We are pleased to see strong bipartisan support from this legislation even from organizations who have historically opposed cannabis policy reform.” “The Governor has expressed his support for an expungement law before the session, and we look forwards to him signing this important piece of legislation.”
Louisiana has one of the most expensive and complex expungement procedures in the country. “This legislation gives tens and thousands of Louisianans an opportunity to clean up their criminal records and live productive and fruitful lives,” he said. “A single charge of cannabis possession should not restrict so many people from housing, employment opportunities, professional licenses, and educational loans. Louisiana is proud that it has once again been at the forefront in legislative cannabis policy reforms across the South.
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Seven in 10 Louisianans support legalizing recreational marijuana possession for adults–and nine in 10 back medical cannabis legalization–according to a survey released last week.
Although legalization of marijuana has been stalled by the Louisiana legislature in recent sessions, lawmakers have taken a number of steps to reform cannabis law and improve the state’s Medical Marijuana Program.
A bill that ensures that patients are eligible for unemployment benefits even if they have registered as medical cannabis patients recently passed a House Committee.
Legislators defeated separately a measure in committee which would have repealed an rarely used tax on illicit marijuana sales.
Late last year, a Louisiana legislative task group approved rules providing worker safety protections for medical marijuana patients.
Last year, regulators decided to continue allowing doctors to recommend medical marijuana via telemedicine.
Last session, Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed a number of marijuana reform laws. One of the most important measures is to expand the number medical dispensaries in the state. Another measure prevents police from searching homes based on the smell of cannabis.
Edwards signed a bill for decriminalizing possession up to 14 grams cannabis in 2021. The fine was $100 and no jail time.
Edwards signed a 2021 bill that allows patients participating in the medical cannabis program of the state to smoke marijuana flowers in their whole plant form.
He also said previously that he believes that Louisiana is going to legalize adult-use cannabis eventually, but that it won’t happen before the end of his term in 2024.
Minnesota Governor says Indian tribes could start selling marijuana before regulators approve standard licenses
Photo by Mike Latimer.
The article Louisiana Senate approves Marijuana Expunction Bill and sends it to Governor first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
