HCSHBs2555&2108--EXPUNGEMENT
SPONSOR: Hicks
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof13to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2555.
Thisbillestablishesanautomaticrecord-clearingprocessforthe
closingofcertainrecordsnotexcludedfromeligibilityfor
expungementandoffensesforwhichtheGovernorhasgrantedafull
pardon,beginningAugust28,2027.Anindividualmaybegranted
morethanoneexpungementunderthisbill,subjecttospecified
parametersandexceptions. BeginningAugust28,2027,theOffice
ofStateCourtsAdministrator(OSCA)mustidentifyandtransmitto
thecentralrepositoryallrecordsofchargesandconvictions
eligibleforexpungementwithin30daysoftherecordbecoming
eligibleforexpungementwithoutpetition. Ifarecordiseligible
forexpungementonorbeforeAugust28,2024,itmustbeidentified
andexpungedbyAugust28,2029.Ifacircuitcourtdeterminesa
recordisnoteligibleforexpungementwithoutpetition,thecourt
mustnotifyOSCAwithin30daysandspecifythereasonsuponwhich
thecourtreliedtomakethedetermination.
Ifacourtfinds,afteramotion,aconvictionwasimproperlyor
erroneouslyexpungedunderthisbill,thecourtmustreinstatethe
conviction.
BeginningAugust28,2027,OSCAmustreportyearlycertaindatato
theJudiciarycommitteesoftheSenateandtheHouseof
Representatives. Acreditbureaumayreportrecordsofarrests,
indictmentspendingtrial,andconvictionsfornomorethanseven
yearsfromthedateofreleaseorparole.Acreditbureaumayno
longerreportsuchrecordsif,atanytimeafterconviction,
indictment,orarrest,itislearnedthatafullpardonor
expungementhasbeengrantedforsuchconviction.
Lastly,thebillcreatesthe"MissouriExpungementFund",whichis
dedicatedtothecreation,operation,andmaintenanceofthe
program.
ThisbillissimilartoHB352(2023).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill. PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthislegislationcreatesan
automatedexpungementprocedurethatalleviatesjudicial
inefficiencies inthecurrentlaw.Thecurrentexpungementprocess
isverydifficultandcostlyforapplicants. Applicantsmusthire
anattorneywhichcanadduptothousandsofdollarsincharges.
Thiscosthasresultedinmanyindividualsthatareeligiblefor
expungementdecidingnottogothroughwiththeprocess. This
legislationensuresthataprocessisinplacethatincursthe
leastamountofcostsforthoseseekingexpungement. Supporters
alsosaythattheharmdonebyasentenceshouldneverexceedthe
harmcausedbythecrime.Currently,minorsentencescanfeellike
lifesentencesduetothecontinuedlossofjobandhousing
opportunitiesbecauseofanindividual'scriminalrecord.Theuse
ofbackgroundcheckshasmadeitnearlyimpossibleforindividuals
withacriminalrecordtofindwork.Makingtheexpungement
processeasierwouldallowindividualswithexpungementeligible
criminalrecordstotakeadvantageofopportunitiesthatare
currentlynotavailabletothem.Thislegislationwouldallow
theseindividualstoreturntotheworkforceandwouldcreate
billionsofdollarsintaxableincome.Manyoftheindividuals
thatarenotfinanciallyabletogothroughtheexpungementprocess
aredisadvantaged. Theseindividualsdeserveasecondchanceand
thislegislationallowsthemtopursuethatchance.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hicks;The
Builders-AChapterofAGC;MissouriCatholicConference;
Dream.Org;MissouriStateConferenceoftheNAACP;Missouri
AssociationofCriminalDefenseLawyers;AmericanCivilLiberties
UnionofMissouri;ArnieDienoff;FrancieMarion;JacquelynHuebbe,
SugarBotSweetShop&Creamery;Paraquad,Incorporated;Missouri
Appleseed;MissouriChamberofCommerce&Industry;KeithDen
Hollander,ChristianCoalition;MalloryRusch,EmpowerMissouri;
MarietaOrtiz;MichelleSmith;NoahBein,JusticeActionNetwork;
PatrickBenson;RebeccaBlacklock-Ludy,PowerhouseCommunity
DevelopmentCorporation;andReverendDarrylGray,MissouriBaptist
StateConventionofMissouri.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythattheiroppositionis
basedonthemechanicsofthelegislation. Basedonthetimeline
andtherequirementsinthelegislation,thosewhoopposedon't
believeeverythingthelegislationrequirescanbeimplementedin
thetimealloted.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwastheJudicialConference
ofMissouri.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythatthislegislationis
notrealistic. Implementation ofthelegislationwouldrequirea
hugeamountofresourcesandthereisnosuchthingasautomatic expungement. Clerkswouldhavetophysicallyenterandsearchfor
expungementeligiblerecords. Thisprocesswouldrequirethousands
ofmanhoursandwouldnecessitatethehiringofdozensofnew
clerkstoensurethetimelineestablishedinthelegislationis
adheredto.Thisisnottomentionthecurrentexpungement
workloadthatclerksarecurrentlyworkingthroughinregardsto
expungementformarijuanacharges. Thelegislationisjustnot
financiallyortemporallyfeasible.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasBryanFeemster,GreeneCounty
CircuitClerk.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.