Governor Brown Signs SB 420 – Expungements Made Easier

Gov. Kate Brown has signed legislation, Senate Bill 420, https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB420 to facilitate the expungement of past marijuana convictions. This measure makes it easier to set aside past convictions for possession of less than an ounce, which was a violation. However, other marijuana convictions still have to go through the normal expungement process.

The measure sets procedures for persons previously found guilty of low-level (up to one ounce) marijuana possession offenses to file a motion with the court to have their convictions set aside. Petitioners may not be charged a fee for submitting such a request, and any objections to the request must be filed within 30 days. The proposal expands upon earlier legislation from 2015, which sought to make it easier for those with past marijuana convictions to have their records expunged.

The law takes effect on January 1, 2020.

If you have any questions at all on whether you qualify for an expungement, please contact our office.  We are happy to help folks clean-up their past.