On February 2nd, Maryland’s SB 88 was heard by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

SB 88 is an expungement-related bill that requires that any cannabis-related conviction that has been pardoned by the Governor be automatically expunged by July 2024, in addition to any cannabis-possession conviction that has not been pardoned. 

Last Prisoner Project (LPP) was excited to see that the expungement mechanisms were both state-initiated and time-bound, and applauds Maryland’s efforts to confront the injustice wrought by prohibition policies. 

While LPP offered supportive testimony of the bill, we encouraged Maryland to expand the bill to go further. We suggested that SB 88 offer a broader eligibility scheme that goes beyond possession, ensures no waiting period, and enacts more rigorous oversight requirements. Additionally, we urged the legislature to consider cannabis-resentencing as another essential form of relief for a justice-informed approach to legalization.

Click here to read our testimony.