Posted on Dec 29, 2022
Marijuana is legal in Missouri, but expungements for past crimes may take time
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Missouri’s Amendment 3 laid out specific deadlines for expungement provisions, but courts and legal advocates say there are still unanswered questions about how exactly the process will work.
Missouri state courts have begun the process of issuing expungements of most nonviolent marijuana offenses from people’s records, thanks to the November passage of a state constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana and expunge the records of some who had been criminally charged for its use in the past.
But people familiar with the new law had a word of caution for the nearly 600 Missourians seeking to have the records cleared of marijuana offenses in this phase: It might take a while.
Missouri state courts have begun the process of issuing expungements of most nonviolent marijuana offenses from people’s records, thanks to the November passage of a state constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana and expunge the records of some who had been criminally charged for its use in the past.
But people familiar with the new law had a word of caution for the nearly 600 Missourians seeking to have the records cleared of marijuana offenses in this phase: It might take a while.
Marijuana is legal in Missouri, but expungements for past crimes may take time
Posted from kcur.org
Marijuana
Crime
Posted >1 y ago
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This law is more involved than this story shows. We now have an equity officer as part of our state constitution. This person — who isn’t elected — will help low-income, inner city people become micro business entrepreneurs to legally sell marijuana. These new businesses are also allowed to have their criminal record ignored in favor of being a business owner. I’m sure there will be more involved with the equity officer’s duties than I know.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel didn't take them long to lock them up.
..."Corbett said the law, which has been described by supporters as automatic expungement because police records are immediately wiped, requires the majority of past offenders to request to also have their court records cleared.
“Folks don't realize that they still need to take action, even if it was auto-expunged,” she said.
In most cases, Payne said the Missouri amendment puts the responsibility on courts, not past offenders, to wipe records, although prisoners would need to petition courts for early release on marijuana charges.
The amendment gives courts six months to expunge past misdemeanors and a year for eligible felonies.
Marijuana sales would be taxed at 6% under the Missouri amendment, which the state Auditor's Office estimated would bring in at least $41 million a year. Funding is earmarked to pay for oversight, administration and the expungement process. Remaining funds would go to veterans' homes, public defenders and drug addiction treatment services.
Municipalities could tax marijuana sales at an additional 3%, or as much as $14 million a year.
Cost estimates compiled by the Missouri state auditor do not include expenses for administrative court costs related to clearing past marijuana convictions."
..."Corbett said the law, which has been described by supporters as automatic expungement because police records are immediately wiped, requires the majority of past offenders to request to also have their court records cleared.
“Folks don't realize that they still need to take action, even if it was auto-expunged,” she said.
In most cases, Payne said the Missouri amendment puts the responsibility on courts, not past offenders, to wipe records, although prisoners would need to petition courts for early release on marijuana charges.
The amendment gives courts six months to expunge past misdemeanors and a year for eligible felonies.
Marijuana sales would be taxed at 6% under the Missouri amendment, which the state Auditor's Office estimated would bring in at least $41 million a year. Funding is earmarked to pay for oversight, administration and the expungement process. Remaining funds would go to veterans' homes, public defenders and drug addiction treatment services.
Municipalities could tax marijuana sales at an additional 3%, or as much as $14 million a year.
Cost estimates compiled by the Missouri state auditor do not include expenses for administrative court costs related to clearing past marijuana convictions."
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