MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The administration of outgoing Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin is going to review about 460 applications from Vermonters seeking pardons for criminal convictions involving small amounts of marijuana.
Shumlin is offering pardons to Vermonters who were convicted of possessing small amounts marijuana before the state decriminalized the offense in 2013.
Shumlin estimates between 10,000 and 17,000 people could be eligible for the pardons.
The deadline for applying for the pardon was Christmas Day.
Since the application deadline, officials have been conducting criminal background checks on all who applied for a pardon. Anyone with a conviction for a violent offense will not receive a pardon.
Shumlin spokesman Scott Coriell says the pardons are expected to be issued next week.
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