Missouri House closer to approving cannabis amnesty bill for medical patients

Missouri’s medical cannabis users are closer to being granted cannabis amnesty for prior misdemeanor cannabis offenses.

 

 

A bill introduced by Republican Rep. Ron Hicks allowing expungement of some qualifying charges from patients’ criminal records was approved in a 7-2 vote Thursday by the House Special Committee on Criminal Justice.

The intent of House Bill 341 is to clear patients’ criminal records of any charges or behaviours that are legal for certified patients under recent changes to state cannabis laws. Missouri voters approved a ballot measure in favour of legalizing medical cannabis last autumn.

Per the legislation, the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services petitions the court for the deletion of all “marijuana-related misdemeanor offenses or municipal violations” that took place before patients were approved for medical cannabis cards.

Should the petition be granted, “the records and files maintained in any court proceeding in an associate or circuit division of the circuit court or in municipal court shall be confidential and only available to the parties or by order of the court for good cause shown. The effect of such order shall be to restore such individual to the status he or she occupied prior to such arrest, plea, or conviction and as if such event had never taken place.”

The bill enjoyed bipartisan support in the House and will now head to the Senate, where medical cannabis supporters hope that Republican Governor Mike Parson will sign it into legislation.

If the bill is ultimately successful, Missouri patients will have to wait until at least July before they can apply for a state Medical Marijuana Card and subsequent expungement.

The state is currently considering measures to legalize recreational cannabis use. Commercial sales would still be banned under the proposed legislation.