The expungements involved Illinoisans in 92 counties. The
landmark bipartisan Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, signed by
the governor in June, provided paths to relief for more the 700,000
cannabis-related arrest and conviction records. While Illinois is the eleventh
state in the country to legalize cannabis, it is the first to legalize
recreational cannabis for adults through its legislature, rather than voter
initiatives.
In a statement announcing the expungements, Pritzker said:
Tomorrow when adult-use cannabis becomes legal, pay
attention to the fact that we are beginning to accomplish four very important
things: We are ending the 50-year long war on cannabis. We are restoring rights
to many tens of thousands of Illinoisans. We are bringing regulation and safety
to a previously unsafe and illegal market. And we are creating a new industry
that puts equity at its very core.
The pardon process looks different for various offenses. The
Prisoner Review Board reviews cannabis convictions for up to 30 grams not
associated with violent offenses for accuracy and then forwards them to the
governor for pardon consideration. There are 116,000 records eligible for
expungement through this process.
Individuals, civil legal aid organizations, and the state’s
attorneys can file motions to vacate for cannabis offenses up to 500 grams.
There are approximately 34,000 records eligible through this process.
Arrest records that did not result in a conviction of up to
30 grams will automatically by expunged, so long as the arrest is not
associated with a violent offense. There are approximately 572,000 arrest
records eligible for expungement through this process.
Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said,
“Illinois is going where no other state has before, admitting that unjust
errors of the war on drugs and giving so many Illinoisans greater opportunities
to build good lives for themselves and the people they love.”
Many more pardons and expungements will come in the next
several months.
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