A surprise bill that would decriminalize marijuana possession in New Jersey died in one committee early Monday. Then, like a phoenix emerging from a skunky ashtray, it came back a few hours later in another.
The controversial bill, NJ A5325 (18R), was introduced to considerable fanfare Friday evening as an alternative to abandoned legislation that would have legalized cannabis for recreational use.
The Assembly version of the expungement legislation would allow individuals with prior convictions for using, possessing or distributing cannabis to petition the courts to get their records cleared. A version of the expungement legislation that began circulating on Friday had decriminalization language attached to it, but the Assembly Judiciary Committee stripped the provision from the bill during its own consideration and pulled the expungement legislation from its agenda entirely.
Advocates from the ACLU of New Jersey and New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, along with other partners in efforts to legalize marijuana, testified in Trenton today with a message: for marijuana legalization to advance racial and social justice, automatic expungement must be passed simultaneously with any legislation ending marijuana prohibition in New Jersey.
JoAnne Zito says two job opportunities went up in smoke because of her misdemeanor marijuana possession conviction.
“Both jobs expressed great interest in hiring me until they received my background check,” said Zito of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.
Zito told the Assembly Judiciary Committee such convictions complicate life. Lawmakers have a bill that would expunge convictions for low-level marijuana possession.
New Jersey A3620 would establish an expedited expungement process for certain marijuana or marijuana-related criminal offenses. However, the proposed bill is contingent upon the approval of legislation legalizing or decriminalizing possession and consumption of marijuana. Sponsored by Democratic Assembly member Arthur Barclay, A3620 was scheduled for a hearing on Monday June 4, 2018, before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in Trenton.
A New Jersey assemblywoman will propose three bills aimed at social justice and economic opportunities should the Garden State legalize recreational cannabis, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union), the chairwoman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and deputy majority leader, plans to introduce her bills Monday.