New York State officials are scrambling to figure out how to erase more than 200,000 criminal records for marijuana possession as a bill to strike those charges awaits Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature.
The state Division of Criminal Justice Services would have to seal 126,136 Class B misdemeanors charges statewide, along with another 76,053 violation convictions that had been previously unsealed by the courts, according to newsday
The majority of those with pot convictions who would have their charges sealed also had additional charges that would not be, the report stated. The legislation calls for a public information campaign to alert individuals about how they can order their criminal convictions be destroyed.
Cuomo is expected to sign the decriminalization bill, which passed in late june, and also reduces fines for pot possession of less than two ounces. A bill calling for legalization of marijuana backed by the governor failed.
https://nypost.com/2019/07/06/new-york-eyes-plan-to-clear-criminal-records-for-over-200k-pot-arrests/
The state Division of Criminal Justice Services would have to seal 126,136 Class B misdemeanors charges statewide, along with another 76,053 violation convictions that had been previously unsealed by the courts, according to newsday
The majority of those with pot convictions who would have their charges sealed also had additional charges that would not be, the report stated. The legislation calls for a public information campaign to alert individuals about how they can order their criminal convictions be destroyed.
Cuomo is expected to sign the decriminalization bill, which passed in late june, and also reduces fines for pot possession of less than two ounces. A bill calling for legalization of marijuana backed by the governor failed.
https://nypost.com/2019/07/06/new-york-eyes-plan-to-clear-criminal-records-for-over-200k-pot-arrests/