Rep. David Nelson reintroduces bill to shield some pre-legalization marijuana convictions from routine background checks

Representative David Nelson reintroduced House Bill 81 to the House State Affairs Committee on Jan. 27, proposing that certain pre-legalization misdemeanor convictions for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana be withheld from routine name-based background checks.

Nelson said the measure is intended to help Alaskans face fewer employment, housing and licensing barriers for old low-level possession convictions. "This bill would make certain marijuana possession convictions confidential on basic background checks," he told the committee, adding that the Alaska Court System had already amended court-view rules in May 2023 to make similar convictions not publicly visible in some court views.

Lisa Purrington of the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Statewide Services clarified the bill’s scope: it applies only to state conviction records in Alaska’s criminal-history repository. Purrington said fingerprint-based checks or background checks performed for other statutorily authorized purposes would still disclose convictions as permitted by law.

Committee members asked how many Alaskans would be affected; Nelson said, based on conversations with DPS, the number would be about 8,500 individuals. Representative Holland and others sought confirmation on whether the bill covered only pre-legalization state misdemeanors (Nelson confirmed it addresses state records and does not change federal records).

The committee set an amendment deadline for HB81 at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, and planned to take up the bill again at the committee’s Thursday hearing on Jan. 29. No public testimony was offered for HB81 during the Jan. 27 session.

Sources: Sponsor Representative David Nelson; Lisa Purrington, Department of Public Safety; House State Affairs Committee proceedings, Jan. 27, 2026.