Bill > HB2232

This bill allows individuals convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee to petition the court to have their criminal history records sealed, meaning they would no longer be publicly accessible. To be eligible, a person must have fully completed all aspects of their sentence, including paying fines and completing any probation or jail time, and must not have any pending criminal charges. Additionally, a waiting period of at least five years must have passed since the completion of their sentence without any new criminal convictions. However, this sealing process does not apply to convictions for domestic assault or driving under the influence (DUI), and even after records are sealed, they can still be accessed by specific government agencies for purposes such as firearms transactions, handgun carry permits, maintaining registries of individuals who have abused vulnerable persons, and for the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission to vet law enforcement officer candidates. If an individual with sealed records is charged with a new offense (excluding minor traffic violations), the sealing order will be rescinded pending the outcome of the new charge, and if convicted, the records will be unsealed.