The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons will now be accepting applications to pardon individuals with certain marijuana offenses through the PA Marijuana Pardon Project. All applications must be submitted by Friday, September 30th to be considered. Get started by visiting their website: pa.gov/mjpardon.
The Timeline
Thursday, September 1st to Friday, September 30th: The Board of Pardons will accept applications.
Thursday, October 13th: Merit review sessions will be held. During these sessions, the Board of Pardons will decide if applicants get a public hearing.
Tuesday, December 13th to Friday, December 16th: The Board of Pardons votes on individual cases in public hearings. Chosen applicants do not need to appear before the board for questioning.
Recommendations then head to the governor for a pardon. The governor is not mandated to act in a specific amount of time after receiving the recommendations.
If the governor grants an applicant’s pardon, they will receive official documentation in the mail, including a:
- Letter signed by the secretary of the Board of Pardons
- Charter of the pardon with the official Commonwealth seal, signed by the governor and secretary of the Commonwealth
Eligibility Criteria
Pennsylvanians eligible for this opportunity are those with one or both of the following convictions:
- Possession of Marijuana (Title 35 Section 780-113 Subsection A31)
- Marijuana, Small Amount Personal Use (Title 35 Section 780-113 Subsection A31I)
The convictions must have taken place in Pennsylvania, and applicants cannot have any additional convictions on their records.
Those who are not eligible to apply for a pardon through this project because they have additional criminal convictions on their record are encouraged to apply for clemency using a standard application found on the Board of Pardon’s website here: https://www.bop.pa.gov/Apply%20for%20Clemency/Pages/default.aspx.
PA CareerLink® Resources
PA CareerLink® supports job seekers experiencing many types of barriers to employment, including those with a criminal background. Our Career Advisors can work with you one-on-one to assess your skills and connect you to local, fair chance employers. Complete our Job Seeker Interest Form to be contacted by a member of our team, or give us a call at (570)-822-1101 to learn more about our supportive services.
Sources: pa.gov, governor.pa.gov
