2017 -- H 5205

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LC000730

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Lima, Slater, Fellela, Almeida, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: January 26, 2017

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

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.

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     (a) Any person who is a first offender may file a motion for the expungement of all

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records and records of conviction for a felony or misdemeanor by filing a motion in the court in

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which the conviction took place; provided, that no person who has been convicted of a crime of

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violence shall have his or her records and records of conviction expunged; and provided, that all

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outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs, assessments, charges, and/or any

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other monetary obligations have been paid, unless such amounts are reduced or waived by order

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of the court.

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     (b) Any person who has been convicted of more than one misdemeanor, but fewer than

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six (6) misdemeanors, and has not been convicted of a felony may file a motion for the

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expungement of any or all of those misdemeanors by filing a motion in the court in which the

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convictions took place, provided that convictions for offenses under chapter 29 of title 12, §§31-

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27-2 or 31-27-2.1 are not eligible for and may not be expunged.

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     (b)(c) Subject to subsection (a), a person may file a motion for the expungement of

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

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of his or her sentence.

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     (c)(d) Subject to subsection (a), a person may file a motion for the expungement of

 

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

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or her sentence.

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

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expungement of records relating to misdemeanor convictions after ten (10) years from the date of

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the completion of their last sentence.

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     12-1.3-3. Motion for expungement -- Notice -- Hearing -- Criteria for granting.

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     (a) Any person filing a motion for expungement of the records of his or her conviction

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

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the attorney general and the police department that originally brought the charge against the

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person at least ten (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, but not

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records of conviction of offenses under chapter 29 of title 12, §§31-27-2 or 31-27-2.1 if the

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petitioner has been convicted of more than one misdemeanor, of the person filing the motion if it

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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

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

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but 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.; or

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     (iii) That in the ten (10) years preceding the filing of the motion, if the convictions were

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for multiple misdemeanors, 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, and they have

 

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exhibited good moral character; and

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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 and apply to all convictions imposed

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before or after the effective date.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

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     This act would make persons with up to six (6) misdemeanor convictions eligible for the

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expungement of all records and records of convictions, provided that no person who has been

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convicted of any felony shall have their records of conviction expunged and convictions for

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offenses under chapter 29 of title 12, §§31-27-2 or 31-27-2.1 shall not be eligible for and may not

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be expunged, by filing a motion after ten (10) years from the date of the completion of their last

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sentence.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to all convictions imposed

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before or after the effective date.

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