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This bill — the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act — would aim to correct the historical injustices of drug policies that have disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income communities. To do so, this bill would require resentencing and expungement of prior convictions for adult and juvenile marijuana offenses in order to create new opportunities for individuals as they work to advance their careers, education and overall quality of life. It would also reform immigration laws to remove marijuana offenses from the list of crimes that lead to deportation or ineligibility for citizenship.

MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION & EXPUNGEMENT

This legislation would:

Decriminalize marijuana at the federal level by removing the substance from the Controlled Substances Act. This would apply retroactively to prior and pending convictions and enable states to set their own policy.
Require federal courts to expunge prior convictions, allow prior offenders to request expungement and, on motion, conduct re-sentencing hearings for those still under supervision.

MARIJUANA TAX FUNDING COMMUNITY GRANTS

This legislation would authorize the assessment of a 5% sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products to create an Opportunity Trust Fund, which would include three grant programs:

The Community Reinvestment Grant Program would provide services to the individuals most adversely impacted by the War on Drugs. Those services would include job training, re-entry services, legal aid, literacy programs, youth recreation, mentoring, and substance use treatment.
The Cannabis Opportunity Grant Program would provide funds for loans to assist small businesses in the marijuana industry that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
The Equitable Licensing Grant Program would provide funds for programs that minimize barriers to marijuana licensing and employment for the individuals most adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.

NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS FOR MARIJUANA OFFENSES

This bill would provide non-discrimination protections for marijuana use or possession, as well as for prior marijuana convictions. It would:

Prohibit the denial of any federal public benefits (including housing) based on the use or possession of marijuana or a prior conviction for a marijuana offense; and
Provide that the use or possession of marijuana or prior conviction for a marijuana offense will have no adverse impact under the immigration laws.

OTHER PROVISIONS

This bill would also:

Open up Small Business Administration (SBA) funding for legitimate cannabis-related businesses and service providers; and
Require the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to collect data on the demographics of the industry to ensure people of color and those who are economically disadvantaged are participating in the industry.

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Carol

Should Marijuana Be Federally Decriminalized & Past Cannabis Crimes Expunged?