California Governor Signs Bill to Expunge Hundreds of Thousands of Past Cannabis Convictions
As many 500,000 Californians are eligible for expungement under the new law
California Governor Jerry Brown put the state's best foot forward this week, signing into law a pair of bills that will counteract decades of non-violent drug arrests and convictions that have targeted black and brown communities.
READ: Grass Tacks: 10 States to Avoid If You Want to Actually Enjoy Weed
According to NORML, Assembly Bill 1793 and Senate Bill 1294 left the Democratic governor's desk with his imprint, the former facilitating the review and expungement of hundreds of thousands of past cannabis convictions, while the latter establishes a grant funding program to aid the state's minority-owned cannabis businesses.
In a statement to the LA Times on its passage, AB 1793 sponsor, Assemblyman Rob Bonta, notes “Long after paying their debt to society, people shouldn’t continue to face the collateral consequences, like being denied a job or housing, because they have an outdated conviction on their records.”
READ: Grass Tacks: 10 States With The Safest Access To Medical and Recreational Weed
The state joins Oregon, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusets, and Rhode Island, in offering relief to former or standing convictions following the passage of their own respective cannabis decriminalization and/or legalization bills.
