New RI Cannabis Bill Calls For Sales Dec. 1, Automatic Expungement
The amended proposal is scheduled to be voted on Wednesday
An updated version of marijuana legislation on the fast track toward passage at the State House would include automatic expungement for past cannabis crimes, and a delay in the start of retail sales until December.
The amended proposal, released Tuesday afternoon, is scheduled to be voted on Wednesday by both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee. If approved, the legislation will go to the House and Senate floors next week.
State Sen. Josh Miller and state Rep. Scott Slater, the lead sponsors in their respective chambers, celebrated the agreement as a “fair and equitable” bill that addresses social equity concerns while ending the prohibition on cannabis.
“For me this has been about a 10-year effort, so it’s nice to wrap it up,” Miller, D-Cranston, told reporters shortly before the bill was released.
One of the more significant amendments to the bill, according to a summary of the changes, is that it would automatically expunge prior civil or criminal marijuana possession charges, now that possession of the drug will be legal. The original bill would have required people to request the expungement from the court, which raised objections from advocates.
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