Louisiana’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted in favor of legislation designed to allow for the quick expungement of marijuana possession convictions.
House Bill 286 was reported favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, just six days after it was passed through the House of Representatives in a 69 to 30 vote. The measure will need to be passed through one more committee before it can be considered by the full Senate. Passage in the Senate would send the bill to Governor John Bel Edwards.
HB 286 would allow those with a misdemeanor conviction for marijuana possession to file a motion to expunge the charge 90 days following their conviction. First-time offenders would be exempt from processing fees.
Under current law a person may file a motion to expunge his record of arrest and conviction of a misdemeanor offense if the conviction “was set aside and prosecution was dismissed”, or if more than “five years have elapsed since the person completed any sentence, deferred adjudication, or period of probation and parole, and the person has not been convicted of any felony offense during such period, and has no felony charge pending against him.”
HB 286 “retains present law and provides that a person may file a motion to expunge his record of arrest and conviction of a misdemeanor conviction for a first offense possession of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or chemical derivatives thereof after 90 days from the date of conviction.”
The full text of House Bill 286 can be found by clicking here.
