Bill > H5072

This bill modifies Rhode Island's criminal record expungement law to allow individuals with felony convictions to have up to six misdemeanor offenses expunged from their criminal record. Currently, the law prohibits those with felony convictions from expunging misdemeanors, but this bill removes that restriction. The bill maintains existing provisions that prevent expungement for violent crimes and requires all court-related fees and fines to be paid before an expungement can be granted. Individuals can still only file for expungement after a waiting period - five years for misdemeanors and ten years for felonies from the completion of their sentence. The bill also preserves existing exceptions, such as allowing expungement for offenses that have been decriminalized since the original conviction. Notably, certain misdemeanors related to specific traffic and motor vehicle offenses remain ineligible for expungement. The changes aim to provide more opportunities for individuals with criminal records to clear their past offenses and potentially improve their future opportunities for employment and rehabilitation.

Justice

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