Bill > H7508

This bill authorizes the automatic expungement of eligible conviction records by operation of law, meaning that state agencies will initiate and complete the process electronically without individuals needing to file a petition or pay fees. The bill defines key terms like "Administrative Office of State Courts" (AOSC), which is the administrative arm of the judicial system managing statewide court administration and technology, and "central repository," which is the statewide electronic criminal history database maintained by the attorney general's office. It also introduces "sentence completion date" as the date a person appears to have finished their sentence, including probation. The bill outlines specific eligibility criteria for automatic expungement, generally requiring a certain period to have passed since the sentence completion date without further convictions, with different timeframes for misdemeanors and felonies, and excluding violent offenses. It establishes an electronic process for identifying, processing, and sealing these records through the courts and the attorney general's office, ensuring they are removed from public access. Importantly, individuals whose records are automatically expunged may truthfully state they were never arrested, charged, or convicted of the expunged offense, and others cannot inquire about or require disclosure of these expunged records, with limited exceptions for federal law. The bill also mandates annual public reports on the implementation and impact of this automated expungement process for at least five years.

Justice

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