(WXYZ) — It's been nearly 11 months since recreational marijuana became legal in Michigan, and a bill introduced in the Michigan legislature looks to expunge criminal records of people convicted of possession or use of marijuana offenses.
VOTE: Should Michigan expunge marijuana convictions?
Senate Bill 416, introduced by Sen. Jeff Irwin, a Democrat from Ann Arbor, would clear criminal records for the more than 235,000 people without requiring them to apply to the court that sentenced them.
According to the senator, only 6 percent of people eligible for expungement apply because of the process.
“Automatic expungement for all of our lowest-level cannabis offenders allows people to move on with their lives and making it automatic is essential because many people can’t afford an attorney, or the legal fees associated with an application,” Irwin said in a release. “Cannabis is now legal in Michigan and petty offenses in the past should be no barrier to getting back to work or school.”
