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New Leaf Illinois utilizes nearly $1.3 million in taxpayer funds to
work toward expunging cannabis arrests and convictions. The group’s
website says 18 nonprofit organizations in Illinois are offering
free and legal representation and legal information to those who
wish to have their cannabis convictions taken off their record.
Although President Joe Biden issued an executive order to pardon
those with federal convictions for simple cannabis possession, that
did not affect those convicted of state charges or erase court
records.
"The program itself, while it is cannabis-focused, the truth is, the
other organizations that we're working with, the other partners for
New Leaf, they're really trying to help people deal with their
entire criminal record," New Leaf Supervising Attorney Patrick
Honigmann told The Center Square.
Honigmann said the arrest records automatically fall off under
Biden's order, but that's only half the remedy. There is an arrest
record and there is a court record.
"So when you go to apply for a job or to rent some property or for
certain educational opportunities, where you want to own a firearm,
then when they do these searches, the court records are what pops up
and they say, 'Oh, you were arrested for cannabis,’” Honigmann said.
Employment isn't the only factor.
"Someone had applied for a life insurance policy, and even though
they had a minor possession case that was dismissed, like if it was
10 or 15 years ago, they were denied a life insurance policy and
they claim it was just because of that," Honigmann said.
According to New Leaf's website, the nonprofit has vacated and
expunged 311 cannabis convictions while 183 non-conviction and other
cannabis records have been expunged and sealed.
"I see that as being a much broader kind of assistance that they're
giving people and that can be extremely helpful," Honigmann said.
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