Hawaii’s governor has approved a law to speed up the process of expunging records for marijuana offenses.
Governor Gov. Green (D) approved the final version of the bill about two weeks after it passed in the Legislature. Josh Green (D), on Thursday.
This law was passed to speed up expungements through the pilot program implemented in 2013.
The advocacy group Last Prisoner Project reports that as of mid-December last year, Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center has reviewed 640 criminal cases under its pilot program and issued 81 expunctions. There are 112 cases awaiting expungement, and 414 more cases under review.
Adrian Rocha is the director of LPP’s policy division. He told MEDCAN24 that LPP was proud of Hawai’i’s decision to bolster the first state-initiated expungement process by passing HB 132. The legislation, he said, represents “a major victory for criminal justice, and promises relief for thousands of Hawaiians who are burdened with outdated drug laws.”
“Expunging cannabis-related arrest records is not just about clearing data from government databases—it’s about removing barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities that so many individuals struggle with due to the collateral consequences of their records. The pilot project, HB 132 and other initiatives are all part of a larger movement toward automatic expungement.
“Expungement is more than a policy change—it’s a second chance for thousands of people who deserve to move forward with their lives, free from the stigma of a past that should no longer define them,” Rocha said.
LPP said in a previous post regarding HB 132 (the bill that was passed) that a problem with the technical aspect of the program has “made it more difficult than expected” to implement.
In particular, it says that the records “consistently” do not specify whether an offense is for marijuana, or any other substance listed on Schedule 5 under state law. The post says that “this lack of details forces HCJDC’s staff to manually search court and arrest records, significantly slowing down the process.”
HB 132 addresses this by removing any distinction made between marijuana and Schedule V drugs in the context of the program for expungement.
The governor approved the expungement pilot program legislation—HB 1595, also from Tarnas—last year. Its goal was to expunge non-conviction marijuana arrest records solely in Hawaii County, home to about 14 percent of the state’s population. This county is located on the Big Island, and it’s the second-most populous in the state after Honolulu County.
As originally introduced, the measure would have directed state officials to automatically expunge tens of thousYou can also find out more about the following:s of arrest and conviction records for low-level marijuana possession. But the Senate Judiciary Committee later amended the proposal, replacing the statewide plan with a pilot program in Hawaii County that would apply only to non-conviction arrest records.
—
MEDCAN24 has been tracking the hundreds of bills relating to cannabis, psychedelics or drug policies that have passed through state legislatures as well as Congress in this past year. Patreon subscribers who donate at least $25/month have access to the interactive maps and charts as well as our hearing calendar.
Find out more about our marijuana law tracker. To gain access, become a Patreon supporter.
—
The Hawaii Senate also approved last week a medical cannabis bill which, amongst other changes, allows healthcare providers to suggest marijuana to treat whatever condition they think it will benefit.
Hawaii’s House of Representatives passed separately a measure that creates a pilot two-year program for clinical research on psychedelics-assisted therapy, which includes substances like psilocybin or MDMA.
After the two chambers sent in their disagreements this week, they are both likely to be referred to a conciliation committee.
Separately, the House Committee on Labor in January unanimously voted to advance legislation that would protect state-registered medical marijuana patients from discrimination in the workplace. The Senate has yet to take up the bill HB 325.
This past fall, regulators solicited proposals to assess the state’s current medical marijuana program—and also sought to estimate demand for recreational sales if the state eventually moves forward with adult-use legalization. The move was interpreted by some as an indication that the regulators were preparing for a possible reform.
Hawaii became the first U.S. State to pass a medical marijuana law through its legislative branch in 2000.
Delaware House Adopts Marijuana Bill in Response to FBI Disput That May Delay Market Launch
Max Pixel provided the photo.
MEDCAN24 could not exist without readers’ support. Please consider making a Patreon monthly pledge if you depend on our cannabis journalism for information.
