LANSING — Tuesday night, voters passed Proposal 1 in Michigan, which legalizes recreational use of marijuana for adults in the state, however the proposal does not call for action to be taken regarding those currently serving sentences or with past convictions relating to marijuana offenses. State Rep. Sheldon Neeley has introduced legislation this session to allow for the expungement of nonviolent marijuana-related convictions now that the ballot proposal has passed, yet his House Bill 6227 has sat untouched in the House Law and Justice Committee since its introduction. In response to the passage of Proposal 1, Rep. Neeley issued the following statement:
“The voters of Michigan made their choice clear at the ballot box this week, and now it is up to us as elected officials to ensure those who have served time for nonviolent marijuana offenses are made whole again. We cannot allow these men and women — often from communities of color — to continue being punished for what is no longer considered a crime. It is time for legislative committee leaders to take up my proposal to address this issue and provide these individuals the freedom to support themselves, their families and their communities as active members of our society.”
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