As Pennsylvania legislators are preparing to ascend a bipartisan cannabis legalization reform, the governor asserted that he issued expedited pardons for minor marijuana offenses for sixty-nine additional individuals.
Last week, Governor Tom Wolf ascended clemency actions as a component of the Expedited Review Program for Non-Violent Cannabis-Related Offences via the state’s Board of Pardons. With this recent round, about ninety-five individuals have had their marijuana offenses expunged.
Tom also provided pardons for two hundred and forty-one unrelated convictions last week. During a press release, the governor said that clemency gives the pardoned individuals an opportunity to move past their convictions while also offering opportunities to promote to grow their careers, purchase houses, and go on with their lives.
Wolf asserted that the minor cannabis felony-related pardons have been advanced to transform the years-long process into a months-long affair.
Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, a strong legalization proponent, asserted that he’s happy to liaise with Governor Wolf in the historic restoration of second chances for Pennsylvania’s convicted felons.
Flood Brandon, BOP’s (Board of Pardons) secretary, uttered that the expedited pardon measure will in the future expand to entail other offenses.
Flood added that BOP is directly working with the governor’s department to create a more sophisticated review procedure for commutation applicants and various types of pardon candidates whose applications will be recommended to the Governor by the BOP.
The clemency effort comes several days after Senator Sharif Street and Dan Laughlin unveiled plans to launch tax legislation and regulate marijuana within the state. Activists are expecting the bill’s bipartisan nature to move the legislature to ascend the reform.
Last month, the governor underscored that cannabis legalization will be a priority as he commences yearly budget discussions with legislators. However, his official budget proposal lacks a legislative language to accomplish the marijuana policy change.
