HR0154 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0154 LRB101 05503 SLF 50518 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 2016, the law changed and possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana in Illinois became a civil matter rather than a criminal one; and

WHEREAS, This change did not address those who had already been convicted of possession of small amounts of marijuana; and

WHEREAS, To create stronger pathways to employment for all citizens of the State, legislators need to examine the damage over-criminalization has caused, specifically the disproportionate effect on people of color; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2013 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, African-Americans in Illinois are more than 7 times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession; and

WHEREAS, To help nonviolent offenders rehabilitate and have a better chance of getting a job, expunging low-level convictions of marijuana possession allows people to tell prospective employers that they have a clean criminal record; and

WHEREAS, In addition to the financial benefit of more citizens able to achieve full employment, eliminating the prosecution of pending low level marijuana charges allows for the reallocation of resources and with a focus on serious cases, the safety and security of all residents is improved; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge every State's Attorney in this State to throw out all pending low-level marijuana charges and review low-level marijuana charges that resulted in conviction and incarceration to help offer residents a path to employment and in the process be able to utilize our resources for the benefit of the citizens of the State.