Minnesota's Cannabis Expungement Board Hosts Public Event to Clear Past Convictions
Digital Editor Aaliyah Demry reports on the Minnesota Cannabis Expungement Board's ongoing review of roughly 98,000 marijuana-related felonies and misdemeanors, and a public event July 15 at the Urban League in North Minneapolis to help residents navigate expungement. Chief Communications and External Engagement Officer Heather Faulkner explains the two pathways to clearing a record, automatic expungement through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or review through the CEB, and how the board's decision process works.
Despite adult-use cannabis becoming legal nearly three years ago in Minnesota, people are still being held back from advancing in life due to past marijuana convictions.
Created in 2023 by the state’s legislature, the Minnesota Cannabis Expungement Board (CEB) is actively reviewing about 98,000 marijuana-related felonies and some misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases.
“We have so many people who are very unfortunately being held back by convictions on their records for things that are no longer crimes,” said Heather Faulkner, Chief Communications and External Engagement Officer for the CEB.
Wednesday, July 15, the board, along with Roots Wellness Center, will host a public event at the Urban League in North Minneapolis to assist those with cannabis-related records. The event will feature several representatives from agencies that can provide expungement assistance. Faulkner says this initiative is to expunge as many cases as possible.
“We exist for the sole purpose of getting people restorative justice and helping them get those convictions cleared up their records so they can have a fresh start,” she said.
The event runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2100 Plymouth Ave in Minneapolis.
Since the legalization of marijuana, the legislature created two pathways towards expungement. According to Faulkner, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) automatically expunged about 60,000 cannabis misdemeanors. She advises those with cannabis-related charges to look up their case on Minnesota Court Records to see if they’ve been removed.
The second option is through the CEB. The board receives files that have not already been expunged by the BCA and decides if files are eligible to be vacated and dismissed or expunged. The CEB then contacts local law enforcement where the case was filed to determine whether the agency supports the expungement.
The board reviews each eligible case to make a decision. During the process, the identity of those with a case under review is not disclosed publicly.
Individuals will be notified by mail of the decision to the last known address that staff can find. CEB files a notice of determination with the court. Then the court has to issue an order to produce the determination.