Bill > SB1494

This bill establishes procedures for the automatic expungement, meaning the closing of criminal records to the public, of certain offenses in Missouri. It defines terms like "clean slate eligible offense" as misdemeanors or felonies that are not specifically excluded and for which an electronic record exists. The bill outlines conditions for automatic expungement, such as completing probation without further offenses for a specified period, reaching age sixty-five with no recent convictions, or receiving a full pardon. It excludes juvenile adjudications and traffic offenses from automatic expungement and sets lifetime limits on the number of offenses that can be expunged. The bill also details a process for the office of state courts administrator to identify eligible records, notify prosecuting agencies who have a limited time to object, and then transmit these records for expungement by the courts. A dedicated fund, the "Missouri Expungement Fund," will be established to cover the costs of developing and implementing the necessary technology for this automatic expungement system. Additionally, credit bureaus will be limited in how long they can report certain criminal records, and employers, volunteer organizations, and landlords will be immune from liability for misconduct by individuals whose expunged records are not disclosed.