SENATE DOCKET, NO. 444        FILED ON: 1/31/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 73

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the expungement of convictions for marijuana possession.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

3/25/2021

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

4/2/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

5/10/2021

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

7/13/2021


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 444        FILED ON: 1/31/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 73

By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 73) of Jason M. Lewis, Joanne M. Comerford and Sonia Chang-Diaz for legislation relative to the expungement of convictions for marijuana possession.  Cannabis Policy.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1131 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the expungement of convictions for marijuana possession.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 52 of chapter 55 of the acts of 2018 is hereby amended by striking clause (iii) and inserting in place thereof the following:- (iii) inform people eligible to have their records expunged as a result of changes to criminal laws resulting from marijuana decriminalization and legalization.

SECTION 2. Section 59 of chapter 55 of the acts of 2018 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a person having a record of criminal court appearance or disposition on file with the office of the commissioner of probation for a charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance under section 34 of chapter 94C of the General Laws shall be eligible to have the record and related records, if any, expunged immediately under section 7 of chapter 258D of the General Laws if the controlled substance specified in the complaint related to the court appearance or disposition was marijuana under clause (1) of subsection (b) of Class D of section 31 of said chapter 94C.