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Mo. Lawmaker Wants To Lighten First-Time Marijuana Possession Sentences, Expunge Some Records

A St. Louis-area State House member is proposing legislation that would lessen penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana in Missouri, and would allow for some misdemeanor criminal records to be expunged.

The first bill would punish first-time possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana or paraphernalia with fines of up to $250.  The sponsor,State Representative Rory Ellinger(D, University City), says it’s modeled after a city ordinance on the books in Columbia.

“Columbia hasn’t fallen into decadent shame or anything by the passing of their bill making (first-time marijuana possession under 35 grams) a misdemeanor,”Ellingersaid.

Ellinger also plans to file legislation that would allow past offenders to petition to have their records expunged after five years, provided their offenses were non-violent and non-sexual.

“I can’t tell you the number of times that I have received phone calls as a lawyer from young people graduating from college, saying, ‘I’m ready to start a high school teaching career (and) they tell me I have to get this off my record -- what can I do?’"Ellingersaid.  "You cannot do anything.”

(via Flickr/Torben Bjorn Hansen) /

Ellinger says his bill would enable past non-violent, non-sexual offenders to get jobs, public assistance, and to generally move on with their lives.  He says he’ll file both proposed bills in the Missouri House next week.

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.