# The HOPE Act of 2023: Clearing Cannabis Convictions

This bill creates a federal grant program to help states and local governments erase old cannabis convictions from people's records. The idea is straightforward: as more states have legalized or reduced penalties for cannabis offenses, many people still carry convictions for actions that are no longer illegal. This bill provides federal money to make it easier and cheaper for states to clear these old convictions off people's records through a process called expungement.

The federal government would provide up to $2 million per year (for ten years) to states and cities that want to participate. States can use this money to build technology systems that automatically process expungements, set up legal clinics to help people navigate the process, notify people that they're eligible to have their records cleared, and seal old conviction records. The goal is to remove barriers that currently make expungement expensive and complicated—many people don't even know they can get their records cleared, and the legal process can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Why does this matter? A cannabis conviction on your record can follow you for life, making it harder to get hired for jobs, find housing, or get loans. Even though cannabis laws have changed in many states, old convictions stay visible to employers and landlords. By clearing these records, people get a genuine second chance. The bill also requires the Attorney General to study how cannabis convictions affect people's lives—looking at whether they hurt job and housing prospects, and whether the impact differs based on race. This research could help policymakers understand the real-world consequences of these old convictions and whether expungement actually helps people rebuild their lives.

HOPE Act of 2023

Joyce, David P.

Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement Act of 2023 or the HOPE Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to states and local governments to reduce the financial and administrative burden of expunging convictions for state cannabis offenses. The bill also requires DOJ to study and report on (1) the effects on an individual of a criminal record report of a conviction for a criminal offense related to cannabis, and (2) the costs incurred for incarcerating an individual for a criminal offense related to cannabis.