Oregon Governor Kate Brown has reduced or waived several state fees and fines, saving the state over $14 million.
In light of former Vice President Joe Biden’s amnesty for those convicted of federal marijuana possession charges, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced on Monday that she would provide an explanation to approximately 45,000.
Because “no one deserves to be perpetually stuck with the repercussions of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana,” Brown is waiving more than $14 million in fines and fees.
Most cases involving marijuana possession are handled at the state level. Consequently, Biden has been pushing for governors to pardon people convicted of marijuana-related offenses in their states. The number of DC residents who could receive a pardon from Vice President Joe Biden is unknown, but it is safe to assume that it is in the thousands.
As reported by NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), governors in several states have recently taken steps to pardon individuals for minor marijuana offenses. These states include Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
There are a number of states that routinely review cannabis-related felony convictions and delete them. In other jurisdictions, eligible petitioners may seek judicial review by submitting a formal request to the relevant court.
It is estimated that around 2 million Americans have had cannabis-related convictions expunged due to this legislation, as stated by Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML.
Armentano has called on the government and the courts to swiftly address the problems with cannabis prohibition and incarceration.
This year, Oregon legislators passed a bill allowing people convicted of minor marijuana possession charges to seek judicial review of their cases. But so far, only a tiny fraction of Oregon’s eligible voters have cast ballots.
Forty-seven thousand one hundred forty-four people in Oregon have been pardoned for marijuana possession, erasing their criminal records. According to Brown, removing these convictions would make it simpler to get hired, find housing, and enroll in school.
A pardon may be granted to an adult whose only criminal record involves a conviction for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.
Brown argued that no Oregonian should have to worry about losing their home, having trouble getting a job, or falling behind in school because of something that is now legal and has been for years. She claimed that people of color were stopped by police at disproportionate rates and were unfairly prosecuted and given harsher sentences.
Brown guaranteed that the Oregon Judicial Department would destroy any records about the rescinded convictions.
Oregonians voted to legalize recreational marijuana use in 2014. While voters in Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota turned down legalization in November, citizens of Missouri and Maryland gave it the green light.
The Maryland reform package included a process for sealing criminal records. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services is required by law to delete all records involving a single charge of cannabis possession issued before July 1, 2023.
Twenty states plus the District of Columbia have passed legislation decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use, and now Maryland and Missouri have followed suit.