Rhode Island Governor Signs Marijuana Expungement Bill Into Law
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo (D)
PROVIDENCE, RI Rhode Islands Democrat Governor Gina Raimondo hassigned legislation permittingthose with past marijuana convictions to have their records expunged.
House Bill 8355/S. 2447 allows those with past convictions for crimes involving the possession of less than one ounce of cannabis to petition the court to seek an order of expungement.
Itstates, [W]here the court has determined that all conditions of the original criminal sentence have been completed, the court [will] order the expungement without cost to the petitioner.
The law took effect upon passage.
State lawmakersdecriminalzedminor marijuana possession offenses in 2013.
If an act has been decriminalized since a person was charged and paid their price for it, that person shouldnt have to keep paying the price in the form of being denied jobs and other opportunities because of their criminal record, bill sponsor Sen. Harold Mettssaidin a statement. Let them move on, and they can better support themselves and their families and contribute to our communities and our state.
Delaware lawmakers passed similarlegislationthis month permitting the expungement of marijuana-related offenses that have since been decriminalized. That ...
