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Cleveland Mayor Planning Thousands of Cannabis Expungements

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Cleveland, Ohio Mayor Justin Bibb said he is moving forward with plans to expunge low-level cannabis offenses from thousands of people seeking opportunities at work or school. SB 288, which was signed by Governor Mike DeWine in January, will allow the city to move forward with its cannabis reform plans to facilitate about 4,000 expungements on behalf of its citizens.

The state bill from Senator Nathan Manning covered a variety of topics, including a sentencing reform for people in prison, with Bibbs aiming to leverage a provision that allows cities to expunge certain drug-related offenses such as cannabis possession up to 200 grams. The legislation also protects people from getting a criminal record for cannabis paraphernalia possession. Mayor Bibbs previously intended to provide mass cannabis clemency last year but was told by state officials that local governments do not have the authority, so he partnered with Manning to help provide that power.

Mayor Bibbs pointed to President Joe Biden’s mass pardon for people who have committed a federal cannabis offense as creating a pathway for state-level reform. In October 2022, President Biden announced a “a full, unconditional, and categorical pardon for prior federal and D.C. offenses of simple possession of marijuana” that “lifts barriers to housing, employment, and educational opportunities for thousands of people with those prior convictions.”

“President Biden’s Marijuana Reform efforts opened the door for us to make pivotal changes in our own policy regarding marijuana,” said Bibbs. “At the end of the day, these policies are about doing right by our citizens and giving them more opportunities to thrive. We will continue to spread the message that the City of Cleveland stands ready to help our citizens make positive steps forward in their lives.”

The city of Cleveland will work to independently secure relief for those who may not be able to themselves by both sending notices in the mail about the expungement opportunity and file motions with the court on its own. There are also plans to operate expungement clinics which will give citizens access to resources to get their records sealed, with funding for the city provided by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

County prosecutors and city law directors across the state of Ohio will also be able to apply for expungements for fourth degree or minor misdemeanor drug offenses under their citizens’ behalf.

The state of Ohio will vote to legalize recreational cannabis this year after cannabis activists reacted to a settlement to push the vote back one year after controversy over the deadline to collect signatures for the proposal. Under terms of the agreement reach between state officials and the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol will be able to retain signatures received in 2022 after the group sued Republican legislators who refused to consider a proposal to legalize recreational cannabis even after it had received enough signatures to surpass the 132,887 required to send the proposal to state legislation.

SB 288 also features provisions aimed at distracted driving and domestic violence. Chief Deputy Mark Warden said the provisions regarding distracted driving are aimed at making Ohio streets safer and addresses anyone who is holding a cell phone or pushing the button while they’re driving. The provisions regarding domestic violence will make strangulations that happen during domestic violence episodes a felony charge, which will better protect victims of domestic violence.

“Because there’s a high rate of homicides related to strangulation in domestic violence and it addresses that. It moves that to a felony level. And then distracted driving. Too many accidents out there on the road from distracted driving. I think that’s going to be our biggest impact that we see,” said Chief Deputy Warden.