2016 -- S 2064

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LC003166

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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: Senators Picard, and Metts

     Date Introduced: January 13, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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12-1.3 entitled "Expungement of Criminal Records" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-1.3-1. Definitions. -- For purposes of this chapter only, the following definitions

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apply:

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      (1) "Crime of violence" includes murder, manslaughter, first degree arson, kidnapping

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with intent to extort, robbery, larceny from the person, first degree sexual assault, second degree

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sexual assault, first and second degree child molestation, assault with intent to murder, assault

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with intent to rob, assault with intent to commit first degree sexual assault, burglary, and entering

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a dwelling house with intent to commit murder, robbery, sexual assault, or larceny.

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      (2) "Expungement of records and records of conviction" means the sealing and retention

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of all records of a conviction and/or probation and the removal from active files of all records and

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information relating to conviction and/or probation.

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      (3) "First offender" "Qualified offender" means a person who has been convicted of no

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more than two (2) felony offenses or two (2) misdemeanor offenses or a combination of one

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felony and one misdemeanor offense, a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense, and who has

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not been previously convicted of or placed on probation for a felony or a misdemeanor and

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against whom there is no criminal proceeding pending in any court.

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      (4) "Law enforcement agency" means a state police organization of this or any other

 

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state, the enforcement division of the department of environmental management, the office of the

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state fire marshal, the capitol police, a law enforcement agency of the federal government, and

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any agency, department, or bureau of the United States government which has as one of its

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functions the gathering of intelligence data.

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      (5) "Records" and "records of conviction and/or probation" include all court records, all

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records in the possession of any state or local police department, the bureau of criminal

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identification and the probation department, including, but not limited to, any fingerprints,

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photographs, physical measurements, or other records of identification. The terms "records" and

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"records of conviction, and/or probation" do not include the records and files of the department of

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attorney general which are not kept by the bureau of criminal identification in the ordinary course

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of the bureau's business.

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

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

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

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

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

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fines, costs, assessments, charges, and/or any other monetary obligations have been paid, unless

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such amounts 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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     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 ยง

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

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convictions was for a misdemeanor were for misdemeanors, or in the ten (10) years preceding the

 

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filing of the motion if the conviction convictions was were for felonies or a combination of a

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felony and a misdemeanor a felony, the petitioner has not been convicted nor arrested for any

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other felony or misdemeanor; there are no criminal proceedings pending against the person; that

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the person does not owe any outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs,

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

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or she has exhibited good moral character;

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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. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 make individuals with two (2) or less convictions, regardless of whether

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the convictions were for felonies or misdemeanors, or a combination of each, eligible to have

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their criminal records expunged.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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