JEFFERSON CITY – State Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, proudly shared the completion and final passage of one of his priority pieces of legislation. Senate Bill 854 automatically clears the criminal records of thousands of Missourians convicted of drug possession and other nonviolent offenses. Language from SB 854 was added to Senate Bill 1421 and passed by the General Assembly on Friday, May 15.
“A conviction for drug possession should not be a life sentence. Missouri is finally done making people fight for a second chance on their own,” said Sen. Williams. “Through this legislation, certain records will be automatically and fairly cleared for free, eliminating this costly and time-consuming barrier. This lets people get back to work and on with their lives.”
If SB 1421 is signed into law by the governor, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s central criminal records repository will automatically screen and expunge eligible convictions on a weekly, rolling basis; prohibit credit reporting; and protect employers and landlords who hire or house those with expunged records. The law will take effect Jan. 1, 2028.
To learn more about Senator Williams’ legislation, please visit his official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/Williams