HCS#2HB953--PROCEEDINGSRESULTINGFROMCRIMINALCONDUCT
(Davidson)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonEconomicDevelopment
ThisbillrequirestheJointCommitteeontheJusticeSystemto
establishanAdvisoryCommitteeonExpungementandRecordClearing.
TheAdvisoryCommitteewillreviewcurrentMissourilawson
expungement,recordclearing,orrecordsealing,andmake
recommendations anddeterminetheinvestmentsneededregarding
harmonizingandstreamliningtheproceduresfortheseactions,
alongwiththetechnologyneededtostreamlinetheprocessusing
technologyforrecordsthatcanbeexpungedwithoutthefilingofa
petition. BySeptember1,2026,theAdvisoryCommitteemustsubmit
areporttotheChairandViceChairoftheJointCommitteeforthe
distributiontotheGeneralAssemblythatincludesanystatutory
revisionsneededtoharmonizeandstreamlineprocedures(Section
21.880,RSMo).
Thebillspecifiesthat,startingJanuary1,2030,theOfficeof
StateCourtsAdministrator(OSCA)mustsubmitanannualreportto
theJointCommitteeontheJusticeSystem,theHouseJudiciary
Committee,andtheSenateJudiciaryandCivilandCriminal
JurisprudenceCommittee. Thisreportmustincludespecified
statisticalinformation,includingthenumberofeligibleoffenses
identified,thenumberofrecordsobjectedtoforautomatic
expungement,andthenumberofexpungementordersissued(Section
476.411).
Currently,inacriminalprosecutionformurderinthefirst
degree,thecourtmustinstructthejurythat,intheeventit
cannotreachaconsensusonpunishment,thecourtmayassess
punishmentincludingdeath.Thisbillrepealsthatprovisionand
providesaprocedureforwhenajurycannotreachaunanimous
decisiononpunishment(Section565.030).
Currently,eligibleindividualsareallowedtopetitionacourtfor
theexpungementofeligiblecriminalrecords. Thisprocess
includesawaitingperiodafterthecompletionofthesentence,the
absenceofpendingcharges,andevidenceofrehabilitation. The
billprovidesforanalternativepetitionprocessforanyperson
eligibleforautomaticexpungementwhohasfiledapetitionfor
expungementunderthecurrentpetitionprocess(Section610.140).
Thisbillalsoestablishesanautomaticrecord-clearingor
expungementprocessforclosingrecordspertainingtoa“clean
slateeligibleoffense”,whichisanoffensenotexcludedfromthe
eligibilityforexpungement. Thisprocesswillbephasedinandan
individualcanbegrantedmorethanoneexpungementunderthis bill,subjecttospecifiedparametersandexpectations. Thisbill
alsoprovidesthat,onaquarterlybasis,theOSCAmustidentify
recordsthathavebecomeeligibleinthelastquarterandmake
theserecordsaccessibletothecentralrepositoryandevery
prosecutingagencyintheStatewithin100daysoftherecord
becomingeligibleforautomatedexpungement. Ifacourtfinds,
afteramotion,aconvictionwasimproperlyorerroneouslyexpunged
underthisprovision,thecourtmustreinstatetheconviction
(Section610.141).
Thebillprovidesthatacreditbureaucanreportrecordsof
arrests,indictmentspendingtrial,andconvictionsfornomore
thansevenyearsfromthedateofreleaseorparole.Acredit
bureaucannolongerreporttheserecordsifatanytimeafter
conviction,indictment,orarrestitislearnedthatafullpardon
orexpungementhasbeengrantedfortheconviction(Section
610.143).
ThisbillcreatesintheStateTreasurythe"MissouriExpungement
Fund",whichisafunddedicatedtothecreation,operation,and
maintenanceoftheprogram. OSCA,theDepartmentofPublicSafety,
andtheInformationTechnologyServicesDivisionwithintheOffice
ofAdministration canexpendmoneyfromtheFund,upon
appropriation(Section610.144).