In conjunction with Code for America, a nonprofit tech organization that developed a computer algorithm for dismissing cases, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office recently asked a Superior Court Judge to dismiss 62,000 felony cannabis convictions for cases going back to 1961. They also sought dismissal of nearly 4,000 additional misdemeanor possession cases that included cases filed in ten Los Angeles County cities. Additionally, the D.A. was able to fully dismiss felony convictions for cultivating, transporting or selling marijuana for people who are over 50, under 21 , haven’t had a felony conviction in the last 10 years, or have completed probation for cannabis convictions. These requests were brought under Proposition 64, the California law legalizing recreational marijuana and allowing people to petition the criminal justice system to have old marijuana convictions expunged. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge, Sam Ohta, signed the order into effect.
Actions such as the ones that recently occurred in Los Angeles further limit employer access to criminal records, which was #1 in Hire Image’s Top 10 Background Screening Predictions for 2020.
For more information on Medical or Recreational Marijuana and other laws, and whether they affect your state, visit our resource guide at the Hire Image Resource Library.
