Sponsors (6)
The bill substantially expands automatic and expedited sealing for many nonviolent federal marijuana-related records—improving employment, housing, and privacy for eligible people—while limiting eligibility, preserving exemptions for sensitive law‑enforcement and federal checks, and creating administrative and legal trade-offs that leave many still subject to disclosure or delays.
People convicted of eligible nonviolent federal marijuana offenses who complete their sentence will have related federal records sealed automatically one year after sentence completion, improving employment and housing prospects.
Sealing protections bar disclosure in most background checks and prohibit requiring disclosure of sealed records, protecting privacy and reducing barriers to jobs and housing for eligible applicants.
Individuals acquitted, exonerated, or not charged within set timeframes get records sealed quickly (60 days for non-conviction outcomes; 180 days if no charges filed), reducing stigma from arrests without convictions.
Caps on felony counts and other eligibility limits mean many people with multiple nonviolent convictions remain ineligible and continue to face employment and housing barriers.
Sealing exemptions allow law enforcement and certain federal background checks (e.g., firearm, explosives, controlled-substances roles) and permit disclosure for testimony or questioning, meaning sealed records can still be accessed in many sensitive contexts and limiting practical privacy gains.
Automatic sealing deadlines and the Attorney General's two-year deadline for historical records create substantial administrative burdens for DOJ and the courts, risking implementation delays, inconsistent sealing, and costs borne by state governments and taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Automatically seals federal arrest records and certain nonviolent federal marijuana convictions after specified waiting periods, with exclusions for serious and national-security-related crimes.
Introduced April 30, 2025 by Lucy Mcbath · Last progress April 30, 2025
Creates a federal rule that automatically seals certain federal criminal records for people arrested but not convicted and for people convicted of specified nonviolent marijuana offenses once they complete their sentence. It defines who qualifies, excludes serious and national-security-related crimes, and sets specific timeframes for when records must be sealed automatically.