The bill amends Section 15-27-1 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to expand the eligibility for expunging records of criminal charges. It allows individuals who have been adjudged youthful offenders and whose underlying charges are misdemeanors, violations, traffic violations, or municipal ordinance violations to petition for expungement under certain conditions. The bill outlines various circumstances under which a person can file a petition to expunge records, such as when charges have been dismissed with prejudice, no billed by a grand jury, or when the person has been found not guilty, among other specified situations. It also specifies conditions under which a person with a conviction can seek expungement, such as completion of all probation or parole requirements and a three-year waiting period from the date of conviction.

The bill also makes insertions and deletions to the existing law. It removes the indefinite articles "a" before the terms "violation," "traffic violation," and "municipal ordinance violation" in several places. It adds provisions for youthful offenders and clarifies the entities to which expunged records can be disclosed, including criminal justice agencies, utilities, the Department of Human Resources, and entities providing information to financial institutions. The bill states that expunged charges can be used in civil matters related to the criminal charges. Finally, the bill grants exclusive jurisdiction to the circuit court for petitions filed under the amended law and sets the effective date of the act as October 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 15-27-1
Enrolled: 15-27-1