Bill would expunge some convictions if recreational marijuana is legalised in Michigan

marijuana cannabis CC flickr Moss

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Bill would expunge some convictions if recreational marijuana is legalised in Michigan

19 June 2018

By Jonathan Jackson

A local lawmaker is working to give hundreds of people a second chance if recreational marijuana is legalized come the November election. Last week, State Rep. Sheldon Neeley introduced a bill that would make it easier for those convicted of misdemeanor marijuana crimes to have those records set aside. “If marijuana becomes legal, I don’t believe that it should still be a burden on those individuals that have had these crimes placed on their permanent record,” Neeley said. Neeley is working to pass new legislation that would remove non-violent misdemeanor marijuana charges from a person’s permanent record if voters make recreational marijuana legal in the November election. “They should be expunged of that crime automatically, up on the legislation of marijuana,” Neeley said. Neeley said he is neither for or against the legalization of recreational marijuana, but said his bill simply makes sense if marijuana use is legalized.