By Hundreds of Alaskan residents will have their previous marijuana convictions removed from the state’s online court database.
The move follows an order from the state Supreme Court late last month, according to locals. media coverage.
Local news station KTUU reports As of May 1, “the marijuana possession convictions of nearly 800 Alaskans will be removed from Courtview, a public online database of court cases.”
The order “follows a year of similar, unsuccessful, legislative efforts to join the national trend.” according to Anchorage Daily News.
Democratic Senator Scott Kawasaki said, “I’m glad the Supreme Court has ordered this.” Anchorage Daily News.
As stipulated by the State Supreme Courtremoval from the system is defined as “an individual convicted of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, or an earlier version of that law that criminalized the same conduct, or a conviction under a local ordinance that criminalized the same conduct.” It applies to individuals who have been accused of being 21 years of age or older at the time of the offence, and …the defendant was not convicted of any other criminal charges in the same case.”
according to Anchorage Daily Newsthese “records will continue to be available in court and may be found through formal criminal background checks, but they are not so easy for the public to find.”
Alaska legalized recreational marijuana for adults in 2014, and a majority of state voters approved a ballot measure ending marijuana bans.
“Given that (marijuana) has been legal for eight years, as I say, lest people suffer the negative consequences that may result from having your name on Courtview. It seemed to the Supreme Court that it was the right time to do so, because the action is now considered legal,” said Nancy Meade, general counsel for the Alaska court system.
In September, Republican Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said: order Establishes a new task force to “review the current marijuana tax and fee structure and regulations applicable to marijuana operators and provide recommendations for improvements to the Governor’s Office.”
“Although the Alaskan marijuana industry has flourished over the past seven years, it is still considered a new and evolving industry in Alaska,” Dunleavy said in the announcement. “As is to be expected with any new industry, concerns have been raised about the structure in which it operates. Establishment of a Governor’s Advisory Committee on Recreational Marijuana to evaluate existing regulations and consider recommendations to improve the viability of the industry. We hope that we can bring together a variety of voices and perspectives to help us do that.”
Dunleavy’s office said the task force will consist of 13 members, three of whom are “commissioners or commissioner’s designees of the Revenue Department.” The Secretary of Commerce, Communities and Economic Development, or someone designated by the Secretary. [and] Director of the Department of Natural Resources in the Department of Agriculture. ”
The remaining ten members of the task force are identified as follows: one member representing a city, borough, or local government that permits recreational marijuana business within its jurisdiction; one member of her who is a standard licensed marijuana grower within the state; One member who is a state limited licensed marijuana grower. One member who is a licensed marijuana product or concentrate manufacturer in the state. One member who is a state licensed marijuana retailer. Her three licensed marijuana operators from every segment of the industry. [and] One civil servant. ”
