2016 -- H 7025

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LC003248

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE-IDENTIFICATION AND APPREHENSION OF

CRIMINALS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Lombardi, Craven, McEntee, Williams, and Shekarchi

     Date Introduced: January 07, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 12-1.3-2 and 12-1.3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-1.3

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entitled "Expungement of Criminal Records" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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      12-1.3-2. Motion for expungement. – (a) Any person who is a first offender may file a

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motion for the expungement of all records and records of conviction for a felony or misdemeanor

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by filing a motion in the court in which the conviction took place; provided, that no person who

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has been convicted of a crime of violence shall have his or her records and records of conviction

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expunged; and provided, that all outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs,

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assessments, charges, and/or any other monetary obligations have been paid, unless such amounts

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are reduced or waived by order of the court.

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     (b) Subject to subsection (a) of this section, a person may file a motion for the

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expungement of records relating to a misdemeanor conviction after five (5) years from the date of

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the completion of his or her sentence.

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     (c) Subject to subsection (a) of this section, a person may file a motion for the

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expungement of records relating to a felony conviction after ten (10) years from the date of the

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completion of his or her sentence. 

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     (d) Subject to §12-19-19(c) and without regard to subsections (a) through (c) of this

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section, a person may file a motion for the expungement of records relating to a deferred sentence

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upon its completion, after which the court will hold a hearing on the motion.

 

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     12-1.3-3. Motion for expungement – Notice – Hearing – Criteria for granting. –(a)

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Any person filing a motion for expungement of the records of his or her conviction pursuant to §

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12-1.3-2 shall give notice of the hearing date set by the court to the department of the attorney

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general and the police department that originally brought the charge against the person at least ten

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(10) days prior to that date.

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     (b) The court, after the hearing at which all relevant testimony and information shall be

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considered, may in its discretion order the expungement of the records of conviction of the person

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filing the motion if it finds:

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     (1)(i) That in the five (5) years preceding the filing of the motion, if the conviction was

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for a misdemeanor, or in the ten (10) years preceding the filing of the motion if the conviction

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was for a felony, the petitioner has not been convicted nor arrested for any felony or

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misdemeanor; there are no criminal proceedings pending against the person; that the person does

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not owe any outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs, assessments, or

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charges, unless such amounts are reduced or waived by order of the court, and he or she has

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exhibited good moral character; or

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     (ii) That after a hearing held under the provisions of §12-19-19(c), the court finds that the

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person has complied with all of the terms and conditions of the deferral agreement including, but

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not limited to, the payment in full of any court ordered fines, fees, costs, assessments and

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restitution to victims of crimes, there are no criminal proceedings pending against the person and

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he or she has established good moral character. Provided, that no person who has been convicted

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of a crime of violence shall have their records relating to a deferred sentence expunged.

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     (2) That the petitioner's rehabilitation has been attained to the court's satisfaction and the

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expungement of the records of his or her conviction is consistent with the public interest.

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     (c) If the court grants the motion, it shall, after payment by the petitioner of a one

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hundred dollar ($100) fee to be paid to the court, order all records and records of conviction

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relating to the conviction expunged and all index and other references to it removed from public

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inspection. A copy of the order of the court shall be sent to any law enforcement agency and other

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agency known by either the petitioner, the department of the attorney general, or the court to have

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possession of the records. Compliance with the order shall be according to the terms specified by

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the court.

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     (d) The defendant shall be advised at the hearing that any and all bail money relating to a

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case that remains on deposit and is not claimed at the time of expungement shall be escheated to

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the state's general treasury in accordance with chapter 12 of title 8. 

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     SECTION 2. Section 12-19-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-19 entitled "Sentence

 

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and Execution" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-19-19. Sentencing on plea of guilty or nolo contendere – Deferment of sentence. –

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(a) Whenever any person is arraigned before the superior court and pleads guilty or nolo

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contendere, he or she may be at any time sentenced by the court; provided, that if at any time the

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court formally defers sentencing then the person and the attorney general shall enter into a written

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deferral agreement to be filed with the clerk of the court. When a court formally defers sentence,

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the court may only impose sentence within five (5) years from and after the date of the written

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deferral agreement, unless during the five (5) year period, the person shall be declared to have

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violated the terms and conditions of the deferment pursuant to subsection (b) of this section in

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which event the court may impose sentence.

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     (b) It shall be an express condition of any deferment of sentence in accordance with this

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section that the person agreeing to said deferment of sentence shall at all times during the period

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of deferment keep the peace and be of good behavior. A violation of this express condition or any

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other condition set forth by either the court or the written deferral agreement shall violate the

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terms and conditions of the deferment of sentence and the court may impose sentence. The

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determination of whether a violation has occurred shall be made by the court in accordance with

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procedures relating to violation of probation §§ 12-19-2 and 12-19-14.

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     (c) If a person, after the completion of the five (5) year deferment period is determined by

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the court after a hearing to have complied with all of the terms and conditions of the written

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deferral agreement, including, but not limited to, the payment in full of any court ordered fines,

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fees, costs, assessments and restitution to victims of crime, then the person shall become

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immediately eligible for consideration for expungement pursuant to the provisions of §§12-1.3-2

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and 12-1.3-3. then the person shall be exonerated of the charges for which sentence was deferred

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and records relating to the criminal complaint, information or indictment shall be sealed pursuant

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to the provision of § 12-1-12. Further, if any record of the criminal complaint, information or

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indictment has been entered into a docket or alphabetical index, whether in writing or electronic

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information storage or other data compilation system, all references to the identity of the person

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charged by the complaint shall be sealed.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage, the provisions shall be given

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retroactive and prospective effect, and it shall apply to all matters pending upon the effective date

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of this act including anyone who after a hearing is determined by the court to have complied with

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all the terms and conditions of their deferred sentence agreement.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE-IDENTIFICATION AND APPREHENSION OF

CRIMINALS

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     This act would clarify the provisions of §12-19-19 and make those persons who enter and

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complete a deferred sentence agreement, immediately eligible for expungement of all arrest

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records and indices of arrest provided that they have complied with all terms and conditions of

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the deferred sentence agreement and have paid all costs, fines, assessments and restitution

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ordered by the court. No expungement shall be granted unless the defendant has successfully

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completed all terms and conditions, has no subsequent arrests and convictions and has no pending

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charges at the time of his/her motion to expunge. If after a hearing, the court is satisfied that the

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defendant has successfully complied with the deferred sentence agreement and has exhibited

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good moral character, the court can order the expungement of said records.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would have retroactive and prospective

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effect and would apply to all matters pending upon the effective date of this act, including anyone

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who after a learning determined by the court to have complied with all of the terms and

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conditions of their deferred agreement.

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