How are drug charges changing in Pennsylvania?

There are many changes across the country when it comes to drugs. Many states have started to decriminalize marijuana, with some making it completely legal. In other states, there have been some moves to help lessen the charges and penalties for drug crimes. In Pennsylvania, according to York Daily Record, a drug conviction used to lead to a driver’s license suspension, but that is changing.

In the past, a drug conviction would result in the court suspending your driver’s license regardless of whether you were driving or even around a vehicle when you were arrested. Many people ended up with license suspensions due to relatively minor charges. Those who wanted the law changed expressed that they felt it was detrimental and that according to statistics, it was affecting minorities the most.

Before the law change, a conviction for a drug crime could get you a suspension of six months for a first offense and one year for a second offense. For a third and subsequent offense, you could get a two-year suspension. The concern over this law was that it produces a new hardship. Not having access to transportation is a huge issue. It could lead to employment issues that compound a person’s problems and prevent them from rebounding from the drug charge.

Luckily, lawmakers passed a bill to eliminate this punishment. No longer does a drug conviction automatically lead to a driver’s license suspension. This is a good step towards reform of drug crime penalties. This information is for education. It is not legal advice.