Bill Overview
Title: Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act
Description: This bill establishes a process to expunge criminal records related to certain federal marijuana offenses.
Sponsors: Rep. Carter, Troy [D-LA-2]
Target Audience
Population: People with federal misdemeanor marijuana convictions
Estimated Size: 900000
- The bill deals with the expungement of criminal records for federal marijuana offenses.
- Many individuals have been convicted of marijuana-related misdemeanors over several decades.
- The population affected by this bill includes those individuals who have federal misdemeanor convictions for marijuana.
- This population stretches across various age groups, demographics, and geographic locations within the United States.
- The global population of individuals affected would be within the jurisdiction of U.S. laws
Reasoning
- There are approximately 900,000 potential beneficiaries of this policy, meaning the policy budget would need to be distributed to cover expungement processes for these individuals within its constraints.
- The target population for expungements likely includes a significant number of people who face barriers in employment and social mobility due to their criminal records.
- The wellbeing impact of expungement is expected to mostly affect those directly benefiting by removing legal and social impediments to full societal participation.
- The policy could also have a medium to long-term impact by improving job prospects and overall life satisfaction for these individuals.
- Given the wide distribution of individuals across states and varying demographic groups, the simulated interviews attempt to capture a broad representation from different backgrounds.
Simulated Interviews
Truck Driver (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this policy will make life easier.
- It's been tough trying to move ahead with this record holding me back.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 6 |
Software Developer (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An expungement would certainly help ease my stress about future employment checks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired Veteran (Austin, TX)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- After all these years, it feels like finally getting justice.
- This will help many veterans like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Entrepreneur (Denver, CO)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While my business is stable, having this off my record would be fantastic.
- The policy gives people like me a chance to fully engage in the industry.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Construction Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard to find decent work when employers see my record.
- This policy can help me provide better for my family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Teacher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expungement allows me to focus more on advocacy without personal repercussions.
- This gives me and many others a fresh start.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Healthcare Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should help me finally pursue the advanced degrees I've always wanted.
- I hope more states improve their stance on marijuana.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Freelance Artist (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this act will greatly ease the burden on people like me.
- I wish changes like this had come sooner.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 6 |
Barista (Portland, OR)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expungement can help me pursue other roles in my field without the shadow of my record.
- It's a positive step for social justice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Small Business Owner (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An expungement would be immensely beneficial for expanding my business.
- Federal offenses shouldn't overshadow state legality.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Key Considerations
- The need for coordination between federal and state systems to ensure comprehensive expungement.
- Accessibility of resources and information for affected individuals to initiate expungement.
- Potential societal and labor market benefits from the increased contributions of those whose records are expunged.