The bill amends Michigan's laws concerning the process for setting aside criminal convictions, introducing provisions that allow multiple felony or misdemeanor offenses to be treated as a single conviction if they occurred within 24 hours and stemmed from the same transaction, excluding serious crimes. It also establishes a new section (1j) permitting individuals who committed a felony before the age of eighteen to apply for expungement under specific conditions, such as successful discharge from corrections and maintaining a clean record since release. The bill outlines application requirements, including the need for a certified record of the conviction, fingerprints, and a fee, and allows individuals to reapply after a year if their application is denied.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that convictions set aside under certain sections cannot be used as evidence in negligent hiring or licensing actions, although they may still be considered prior convictions for future offenses. It expands the definition of "applicant" to include those whose convictions have been set aside without an application and outlines the responsibilities of the court and the Department of State Police in maintaining nonpublic records of set-aside convictions. Access to these records is restricted to specific entities for defined purposes, and the bill establishes penalties for unauthorized disclosure of information regarding set-aside convictions. Notably, it includes an insertion that protects entities from liability for reporting public records of convictions that have been set aside.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 780.621, 780.624
As Passed by the Senate: 780.621, 780.624