HOPE Act of 2024

The HOPE Act of 2024 creates a federal grant program to help states and local governments clear criminal records for individuals convicted of cannabis offenses that are no longer punishable under current state law or carry reduced penalties. Eligible states, local governments, or tribes can receive annual grants totaling $2 million per year (2025-2034) to fund technology, legal clinics, and automated processes for expungement. Grantees must also implement public notices about expungement availability and notify individuals when their record is cleared. The bill also requires a study on how cannabis convictions impact housing, employment, and incarceration costs, without collecting personal data. This directly affects people with past cannabis convictions in states that have decriminalized or reduced penalties for such offenses.