TOLEDO (WTOL) - A bipartisan bill could help people with minor drug convictions seal their records and avoid charges.
The goal is to let people with minor drug violations be able to go through a drug program and then go on and get a job, while drug traffickers would be facing harsher penalties including mandatory prison sentencing.
Criminal Defense Attorney Lorin Zaner has seen the strain the drug crisis has put on the justice system.
"I've been doing this for many years and I've never seen it so bad and the effect it's having on people," Zaner said.
This bipartisan legislation introduced in the Ohio senate judiciary committee would give people with misdemeanor, felony 4 and felony 5 drug possession charges the chance to go through drug court or intervention to avoid a conviction. They could also potentially get their record sealed.
"I do believe it is necessary to lessen the penalties for people who have drug penalties and need help and get help, I think it makes a whole lot of sense," Zaner said.
This legislation excludes fentanyl and sexual assault enabling drugs, but for people with other possession convictions it could help them avoid jail time. If their records are sealed it could give them more opportunities for things like jobs.
Marijuana decriminalization advocate Sean Nestor says it's still not enough.
"Honestly, I don't think it goes far enough. At a time in our nation's history when so many states are moving to legalization or have legalized, it's hard to look at something like this as terribly progressive," Nestor said.
Without the final wording of the bill available yet, there’s no guarantee what is being announced will all end up in the bill and end up being passed into law.
