A GOP-controlled congressional committee has approved a bill to repeal a Washington, D.C. law that expands expungements for marijuana possession offenses. The law, part of the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022, automatically expunges marijuana possession records from before 2014. Critics like Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) call the bill "paternalistic," while proponents argue it holds convicted criminals accountable. This action comes amidst ongoing congressional interference with D.C.'s cannabis laws, including an annual rider preventing D.C. from using its local tax dollars for regulated recreational marijuana sales, despite voter approval in 2014.

Congressional Committee Votes to Repeal D.C. Cannabis Expungement Law

Sep 12, 2025

Source:

Kyle Jaeger

Marijuana Moment

It looks like the District’s efforts to clear old cannabis records are facing a major roadblock on Capitol Hill. A GOP-led House committee recently voted to scrap a D.C. law that automatically wipes away past marijuana possession convictions. This "Second Chance" policy was designed to help residents move past the stigma of old charges from the pre-legalization era, but critics in Congress argue it lets people off too easily.

This is yet another instance of federal lawmakers meddling in local D.C. affairs, joining the long-standing "Harris Rider" that prevents the city from setting up a regulated recreational market. For D.C. tokers and the wider community, this move is a frustrating step backward. Expungement is a vital tool for social equity, ensuring that a simple baggie from a decade ago doesn't block someone from getting a job or housing today. While the city continues to expand medical access as a workaround, this latest move reminds us that the fight for full autonomy and fair treatment for cannabis users is far from over.