Rep. Lew Frederick Proposes Bill to Reduce Sentences for People in Jail for Marijuana Crimes

His bill would also allow people convicted of non-violent weed crimes to expunge their records.

By AARON MESH

With pot legalized in Oregon, state Rep. Lew Frederick (D-Portland) says people jailed for non-violent weed crimes should no longer be kept behind bars.

Frederick is sponsoring a bill in the Oregon Legislature that would reduce sentences for people sent to prison before July 1, 2015, for marijuana-related activities—like selling, growing and transporting—that will become legal this summer. In some cases, those sentence reductions would amount to an immediate release.

His bill would also allow people convicted of non-violent marijuana crimes to expunge their records.

Frederick introduced House Bill 3372 last night.

"A lot of people are going to be making a lot of money for the same activities that other people are still incarcerated for, or living with a lifetime of consequences," says Frederick's chief of staff, Susan Hagmeir. "I don't think we're the only ones putting forth this concept."

WWeek 2015

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