GOP Gov. Landry Declines Biden's 'No-Consequences-For-Criminals Agenda' As He Vetoes Cannabis Pardons Bill

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) vetoed legislation last week that would provide pardons for individuals previously convicted of first-time marijuana possession offenses.

Under House Bill 391, the governor would have been able to provide pardons to eligible individuals without a prior recommendation by the state's Board of Pardons. The measure was approved by the state House in a 63-30 vote, and by the Senate in a 31 to 7 vote.

The bill "seeks to enact a first-of-its-kind express lane for pardons, bypassing review and recommendation from the Board of Pardons and all normal procedures," the Governor wrote in his veto letter. "As written, House Bill 391 explicitly violates the Louisiana Constitution, Article IV, Section 5(E)(l), which states that a favorable recommendation of the Board of Pardons is required before a Governor may even consider exercising his authority to pardon or commute a criminal conviction or sentence. Moreover, House Bill 391 is simply unnecessary as the Louisiana Constitution already provides for an automatic pardon for a first-time nonviolent offense."

Declining Biden's Suggestion

In addition to saying that the measure bypasses "all normal procedures," and is "unnecessary", Gov. Landry noted that the bill "appears to be an attempt to have Louisiana accept President Joe Biden’s invitation to the states to join his soft-on-crime, no-consequences-for-criminals agenda."

The Governor therefore says he "will continue to fight to strengthen our criminal justice system and the rule of law in Louisiana."

Biden announced last year that he was pardoning thousands of people who were convicted for the use and/or simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia. 2023 pardons included offenses related to "use and possession on certain Federal lands," – provisions that were not covered by Biden’s October 2022 pardon of some 6,500 federal cannabis prisoners.

On both occasions, Biden urged state Governors to do the same with state offenses.

‘It's A Shame' Taking A Different Direction

Landry's veto follows Maryland Governor Moore’s pardon of 175,000 low-level cannabis convictions, in the nation's most "far-reaching and aggressive executive action." While Maryland’s pardon action is close to that of Massachusetts, where Governor Maura Healey (D) pardoned all people convicted of simple cannabis possession at the state level, Moore’s impact on people of color is probably unmatched.

NORML's deputy director Paul Armentano criticized Landry’s action, "Governors and lawmakers around the country are taking steps to right the past wrongs of cannabis criminalization. This includes efforts to end the stigma associated with past marijuana convictions and to provide millions of Americans with a fresh start. It's a shame to see Louisiana's Governor taking the state in a different direction."

Related links:

Louisiana House Lawmakers Kill Bill That Would Create Regulatory Framework For Legal Weed

Louisiana Bill Killing Recreational THC Products Approved In House Committee

Photo: Benzinga edit with images from Wikimedia Commons and by Kindel Media on Pexels