HB1234--EXPUNGEMENT
SPONSOR: Terry
Thisbillprovidesthat,beginningAugust28,2028,allrecordsand
filesmaintainedbyanycourtpertainingtocleanslateeligible
offenses,whichareoffensescurrentlyeligibleforexpungementby
law,willbecomeclosedrecordswithoutthefilingofapetition,
subjecttocertainrequirementsasprovidedinthebill.
Additionally,thisbillprovidescertaintimelimitationsforwhen
recordsmustbeclosedandlimitationsontheamountofoffenses
whichmaybeexpunged,asspecifiedinthisbill.
Thisbillprovidesthat,beginningAugust28,2028,theOfficeof
StateCourtsAdministrator(OSCA)mustidentifyandtransferona
monthlybasisallcleanslateeligibleoffenserecordstothe
CentralRepositoryandeveryprosecutingagencyinthestatewithin
30daysoftheoffensesbecomingeligibleforexpungement. All
recordscurrentlyeligibleforautomatedexpungementmustbe
expungedbyAugust28,2030.Theprovisionsofthebilldonot
authorizeexpungementofanydelinquentcourtcosts,fines,fees,
orothersumsorderedbythecourt.Aprosecutingagencymayfile
anobjectiontotheautomatedexpungementwithin60daysfrom
notificationofexpungementbyOSCA.
Additionally,OSCAmustprovidenotificationofrecordstobe
expungedtothepresidingjudgesofeverycircuitcourtandthe
courtsmustordertheexpungementofallrecordseligiblefor
expungement,asprovidedinthebill.TheMissouriStateHighway
Patrolmustkeepnonpublicrecordsofexpungementavailableto
certainentities. OSCAmustcreateadigitalaccessportalfor
ordersofexpungementissuedthatallowsanindividualtosearch
fortheirorderforautomatedexpungementtodetermineiftheorder
wasgranted.
Thisbillprovidesthat,forpurposesofthelaw,thepetitioner
willbeconsideredtohavenotbeenpreviouslyconvicted,except
forpurposesoftherequirementtopayrestitutiontothevictim
andotherpurposesasprovidedinthebill.
BeginningAugust28,2028,OSCAmustreportonayearlybasisto
boththeSenateandHouseofRepresentatives Judiciarycommittees,
orequivalentcommittees,thenumberofrecordsexpungedpursuant
tothisbillandthenumberofrecordstransmittedbacktoOSCA
fromtheMissouriStateHighwayPatrol,anyprosecutingagency,or
anycircuitcourtwithobjectionsthattherecordisnoteligible
forexpungement. Thisbillprovidesthatacreditbureaumayreportrecordsof
arrests,indictmentspendingtrial,andconvictionsofcrimesfor
nolongerthansevenyearsfromfinaldisposition. However,any
recordsthathavebeenexpungedoranyrecordsofapersonwhohas
beengrantedapardonwillnotbereported. Anycreditbureauthat
willfullyornegligentlyviolatesthisbillwillbesubjectto
civilpenalties.
Thebillcreatesthe"MissouriExpungementFund",whichwillbe
usedbytheDepartmentofPublicSafety,theOfficeof
Administration, andOSCAtoprovidesystemupgrades,forstaffing
needs,andtoimplementtheprovisionsofthisbill.
ThisbillissimilartoSB19(2025).