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News about the legal Washington State industry & public concerns.

Inslee Announces Initiative To Pardon Marijuana Misdemeanors

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If you have a marijuana misdemeanor conviction on your record in Washington state, you can now have it removed.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has decided to pardon those with a single marijuana conviction on their record. The governor's spokeswoman, Jamie Smith, says the marijuana justice initiative should provide some benefits to those people.

“For some people, it’s that little barrier that might prevent them from renting an apartment, get housing, apply for a credit card, and even get a job. We cannot authorize people when they are filling out applications to say they’ve never been convicted, but it is certainly the case now to say that conviction was pardoned,” Smith said.

The legislature has debated removing marijuana convictions, but never endorsed that action.

The initiative is available to anyone with a misdemeanor pot conviction that occurred between January 1, 1998 through December 5, 2012 when I-502 legalized marijuana in Washington. It’s believed 3500 people were convicted in that timeframe.

Smith says the state may decide to go back further in time to delete other convictions, depending on how many people use the new process.

You can find the form to have a marijuana misdemeanor removed from your record on the governors website.

Steve was part of the Spokane Public Radio family for many years before he came on air in 1999. His wife, Laurie, produced Radio Ethiopia in the late 1980s through the '90s, and Steve used to “lurk in the shadowy world” of Weekend SPR. Steve has done various on air shifts at the station, including nearly 15 years as the local Morning Edition host. Currently, he is the voice of local weather and news during All Things Considerd, writing, editing, producing and/or delivering newscasts and features for both KPBX and KSFC. Aside from SPR, Steve ,who lives in the country, enjoys gardening, chickens, playing and listening to music, astronomy, photography, sports cars and camping.