Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb wants to overturn minor cannabis convictions

Cleveland, Ohio, is accelerating the process of deleting records of minor convictions for cannabis-related offenses after a state bill freed the mayor’s power to do so.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who took office at age 34 as the city’s first millennial mayor, is once again connecting with his constituents and giving them what they demanded: cannabis bans.

“I’ve spoken to so many residents who couldn’t find a job, who couldn’t access a student loan, who couldn’t access housing permits because they had ancillary convictions on their record, many of which stemmed from my low-level marijuana convictions level,” said Bibb.

Grants to cover filing fees and erasure clinics are introduced to facilitate erasures. “We knew we were going to have some tough battles in the legal system,” he said.

Bibb also endorsed Senate Bill 288, which was signed into law by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine last January. The bill will help the City of Cleveland implement deletions by removing obstacles that have stood in the way of Bibb’s attempts to delete records earlier.

“We’re trying to fight on behalf of our residents,” Bibb said.

Now that SB 288 has been approved, Bibb and the city are free to take further action. The Bibb administration is working to notify eligible individuals with criminal records related to cannabis. Thereafter, the city will file applications on behalf of these individuals, using a $10,000 grant to fund filing fees associated with the deletion and sealing of records. The city is working with organizations to set up discharge clinics where people can file and complete their cases without having to go to court.

“Now, cities and counties now have the legal authority to sanction these petty marijuana offenses across the state of Ohio,” Bibb said.

Spectrum News 1 reports that Bibb’s actions have been welcomed by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). “During college, I was able to experience the justice system firsthand after being arrested for simple possession,” said NORML program director Morgan Fox.

“I would see that there were people there who had the exact same charges against me, with the same legal history as me, but who didn’t look like they were going to get significantly higher sentences, be it bigger fines, longer probation or in some cases even imprisonment for simple possession of cannabis.”

Bibb’s proactive actions are an example that other leaders could follow.

“I think Mayor Bibb has ever shown fantastic leadership on this issue,” Fox said. “And you know, from a national perspective, I wish there were a lot more people like him who would lead the way in rolling out these programs that directly impact the communities they have been elected to lead.”

According to the Bibb administration, 838 people were fired after his office coordinated with the Biden administration. The mayor announced that as of April 4, he had assisted in more than 4,000 court cases with the aim of sealing those files. “We will continue to spread the message that the City of Cleveland stands ready to help our citizens make positive progress in their lives,” Mayor Bibb said at the time.

Today Ohio State Senate Bill 288 goes into effect. The new state law, which we lobbied with State Senator @Manning_Nathan, removes legal hurdles and allows the city to institute erasures and seal records on behalf of residents.
https://t.co/axrjHfwcqy

— Mayor Justin M. Bibb (@MayorBibb) April 4, 2023

The idea is to simplify the process. “We understand that citizens do not always want to participate in the criminal justice system and it is not always user-friendly. And sometimes it’s really difficult for citizens to get access,” said Attorney General Aqueelah Jordan. “As a city, we can do this on behalf of these residents who have been negatively impacted by historical inequalities.”