Senate Bill 1421 and Missouri’s Clean Slate Law
Missouri Senate Bill 1421 brought several changes to the state’s public safety laws, such as new drug trafficking thresholds and broader criminal liability for drug-related deaths. Yet, one of the most significant provisions created the state’s new automated criminal record expungement process, also known as the Missouri Clean Slate Law.
Under this law, certain drug-related convictions can be automatically sealed when an individual meets specified criteria, reducing the need to file a petition in court. As with the other parts of SB 1421, this new automatic procedure has its own eligibility requirements and implementation timeline that determine who can benefit and when.
Note: This page provides general information and is not legal advice. It should not replace a consultation with a licensed attorney about the facts, deadlines, and legal issues in a specific case.
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Understanding the new Missouri expungement law
Before SB 1421 became law, the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo) already included guidelines for when and how to expunge a criminal record. Under RSMo §610.140, a person could petition the court to expunge one or more convictions, provided the convictions met specific conditions.
With the passage of SB 1421, however, the procedure for expunging qualifying drug-related convictions will be automated under RSMo §610.141.
Who qualifies for Missouri’s Clean Slate Law?
Automatic expungement applies only to qualifying convictions under current (or former) revised statutes, subject to the conditions below.
| Qualifying conviction | Current and former statutes | Other requirements |
| Possession or control of a controlled substance |
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| Possession or use of drug paraphernalia |
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Finally, the automatic procedure excludes Class A felonies and convictions without electronic records. If, for example, an otherwise eligible conviction occurred so long ago that the record exists only on paper, that person must still manually petition the court to have their record expunged.
What do expungement laws do?
Under the Missouri Clean Slate Law, expungement seals the record of the specified conviction so that only authorized entities can access it.
This not only helps restore certain civil rights (the ability to vote, run for office, sit on a jury, etc.), but it also helps reduce various barriers the individual may face. After a record is expunged, for example, individuals generally don’t have to disclose the conviction on job applications or housing inquiries.
To identify eligible records, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s central repository must screen its database at least weekly, starting no later than January 1, 2027. The organization must then coordinate with the courts to seal the identified records, though a combined limit applies to how many times an individual can have records expunged (three misdemeanors and two felonies), regardless of whether the expungements are automatic.
Other Senate Bill 1421 provisions
Beyond the automated record expungement process, SB 1421 also changed other drug-related laws and limitations.
New drug trafficking thresholds
Drug trafficking charges under RSMo §579.065 and §579.068 were updated with new thresholds for cases involving fentanyl and carfentanil. As shown below, the amounts of these substances required to support a first- or second-degree drug trafficking charge have been lowered, both for baseline and aggravated felony classifications.
| Substance | Old thresholds | New thresholds |
| Fentanyl |
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| Carfentanil |
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These new thresholds also apply to any fentanyl derivative, as well as any compounds, mixtures, or substances containing detectable amounts of fentanyl.
Broader liability for drug-related deaths
Another change Senate Bill 1421 made was to loosen the requirements necessary to charge someone with a Class A felony for delivery of a controlled substance causing death under RSMo §579.022.
Previously, this statute applied when a person delivered or distributed a Schedule I or II controlled substance, knew it was mixed with another Schedule I or II substance, and its use caused someone’s death. SB 1421 removed the requirement to prove the person knew the substance was mixed.
Prosecutors must, however, still prove the individual unlawfully delivered or distributed the substance, and that the substance’s use was the actual cause of death.
Medication purchasing and dispensing limits
Finally, SB 1421 also amended RSMo §195.417 to increase the amount of covered products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine (ingredients commonly found in certain cold medicines) a person can purchase or receive within a 12-month period.
Under SB 1421, that limit increased from 43.2 grams to 61.2 grams, though the separate limits of 3.6 grams within 24 hours and 7.2 grams within 30 days remain unchanged. These restrictions also don’t apply to products dispensed through a pharmacy under a valid prescription.
Working with Expungement Lawyers in Missouri
The Missouri Clean Slate Law simplifies expungement by automatically sealing eligible records. For ineligible convictions, however, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can still help by determining whether the manual petition process is a viable option.
MRD Lawyers reviews clients’ convictions and criminal histories to assess whether a court petition may offer a path to expungement. Our background as former Greene County prosecutors gives us a practical understanding of criminal cases in Springfield and southwest Missouri, helping us explain how the law applies to each client’s record.
If you’re facing a criminal charge or want to explore expunging a past conviction, schedule a free consultation with us today to discuss your circumstances and get clear guidance on what comes next.
An expunged record is one that’s no longer accessible to the general public, though it’s still available to authorized entities. Yes, felony expungement is possible, but it depends on the offense and the circumstances of the individual’s case. Class A felonies, for example, aren’t eligible for expungement. Several types of offenses cannot be expunged, such as those requiring sex offender registration or those that involve someone’s death. For a complete list, refer to RSMo §610.140.Frequently Asked Questions
What does expunged mean?
Can a felony be expunged?
What criminal offenses cannot be expunged?