Legislation that allows for the automatic expungement of first-time marijuana possession convictions has been given approval by Louisiana’s full legislature.
House Bill 391 “Removes eligibility for a pardon by the governor without the necessity of completion of sentence and without a recommendation of the Board of Pardons for a person convicted of possessing more than 14 grams of marijuana.” The measure was filed by State Representatives Delisha Boyd, Tehmi Chassion and Alonzo Knox.
Yesterday the measure was given final approval in the House of Representatives by a vote of 63 to 30. The Senate passed the bill eight days prior 31 to 7. It will now be sent to Governor Jeff Landry.
The proposed law “provides that a person convicted of possession of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or chemical derivatives thereof, pursuant to present law (R.S. 40:966(C)(2)(a)) shall be eligible for a pardon by the governor without the necessity of completion of sentence and without a recommendation of the Board of Pardons.”
Louisiana’s Legislature has also given approval to legislation that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana paraphernalia. The proposed law “removes incarceration as a punishment for the possession of certain drug paraphernalia in quantities not exceeding those required for individual personal use.”
In Louisiana, the possession of up to half an ounce (14 grams) of marijuana has been decriminalized since 2021. However, the law did not decriminalize the possession of marijuana paraphernalia, such as pipes and bongs.
