A provision in a broad Alaska crime package lets people convicted of possessing under one ounce of marijuana ask the Department of Public Safety to keep that record confidential, according to the Alaska Beacon. Eligible people were 21 or older at arrest and had no other charges in the same case.
Agencies may still see the record for background and statistical purposes. Gov. Mike Dunleavy let the package become law without his signature in June 2026, and it takes effect in 2027. The Alaska Supreme Court ordered similar low-level convictions removed from the public CourtView database in 2023.
Why it matters: It can help people with old possession convictions on job and housing checks, but it does not erase a conviction or help anyone still serving time.
Source: Alaska Beacon, 2026-07-07. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.