New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation today that decriminalizes small amounts of pot possession in the state will expunge all convictions for misdemeanor related convictions and cut fines for anyone caught with less than 2 ounces of weed.
Governor Cuomo told the New York Post, "Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by laws governing marijuana for far too long, and today we are ending this injustice once and for all." Cuomo added, "By providing individuals who have suffered the consequences of an unfair marijuana conviction with a path to have their records expunged and by reducing draconian penalties, we are taking a critical step forward in addressing a broken and discriminatory criminal justice process."
Leaders of the state Assembly along with Governor Cuomo pushed to legalize the recreational use of marijuana before the end of the legislative season but could not convince lawmakers who represent rural areas of the state.
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