Bill > SB1055

This bill comprehensively updates Tennessee's expungement laws, expanding opportunities for individuals to clear their criminal records under various circumstances. The bill provides detailed guidelines for expunging records of criminal charges and convictions, including provisions for people who were arrested or charged but not convicted, those who completed certain diversion programs, and individuals with specific types of misdemeanors or non-violent felonies. Key provisions include allowing expungement for cases dismissed without conviction, mistaken identity arrests, and certain offenses related to historical racial discrimination. The bill establishes specific waiting periods (5-10 years depending on offense severity), requires completion of sentence requirements, and mandates that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation develop a certification process to verify expungement eligibility. The legislation also creates mechanisms for removing records from electronic databases, protects confidentiality of expunged records, and ensures that individuals with expunged records are legally restored to their status prior to arrest or conviction. Additionally, the bill makes technical amendments to various sections of Tennessee law to align with the new expungement framework, with the goal of providing more opportunities for individuals to clear their criminal records and reduce long-term consequences of past legal interactions.

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https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1055&ga=114