Democratic Gov. Jared Polis today signed legislation, House Bill 1090, into law eliminating civil penalties for activities involving the possession of up to two ounces of either cannabis flower or concentrates.
State law previously permitted adults to legally possess up to one ounce of either marijuana flower or concentrates for recreational purposes without penalty. By contrast, possessing between one and two ounces of cannabis was classified as a petty offense, punishable by a civil penalty of $100. House Bill 1090 eliminates those civil penalties. The measure also makes it easier for those with past marijuana convictions to petition the courts to have their records sealed.
“This is a very exciting bill in the vein of criminal justice reform because, for far too long, the consequences for people who had a personal amount of cannabis before it had been legalized still had a long shadow on them so for doing something that is fully legal today,” Governor Polis said. “They might have something on their record—and, of course, disproportionately people of color— that might get in the way of them getting loans or leases or licenses or jobs or mortgages or many other things.”
The new law took immediate effect upon passage.
