Pot Legalization Could Wipe Criminal Records Away For 300K

The clock is ticking on this year's state legislative session, and one outstanding item is still under consideration: the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. If the bill were to be passed by both the Senate and the Assembly by June 19 — and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo — there could be a major benefit to people who have minor marijuana crimes in their records.

The Senate version of the bill — S1527 — in effect spells out how marijuana will be regulated if it becomes legally available for those 21 years of age or older as well as where revenue from taxation would go.

One aspect of the bill's language, however, is directed toward those convicted of marijuana-related crimes. They could, under certain circumstances, see their convictions nullified and any records relating to them sealed.

For an estimated 300,000 people, passage of the bill could mean the expunging of their marijuana-related criminal records, pix11.com said.

What this would mean is that those criminal charges would no longer show up when they apply for public housing, college or jobs, according to Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, a Democrat from Buffalo.

It was this part of the bill that Peoples-Stokes said was the reason she helped introduce it, wkbw.com said.

She said as of now being convicted of minor marijuana possession really lands people in a place from which they can never recuperate.

Peoples-Stokes said she thinks there's enough support in the Assembly to get the bill passed, newsday.com said.

What do you think the state should do about marijuana legalization? Tell us in the comments.