The bill proposes significant reforms to New Jersey's expungement laws, aiming to streamline the process and expand eligibility for individuals seeking to clear their criminal records. Key amendments include the removal of previous restrictions that barred individuals with juvenile delinquency adjudications or certain adult convictions from applying for expungement. Instead, the bill introduces a new requirement that three years must have passed since the payment of any court-ordered financial assessments, while also allowing applications to be filed under specific circumstances even if this period has not fully elapsed. Additionally, the bill establishes an automated clean slate process to make certain convictions and juvenile adjudications inaccessible to the public after a reduced waiting period of seven years.

Furthermore, the legislation allows individuals who successfully complete the Recovery Court program to expunge their entire record, including indictable crimes, and permits the consolidation of applications for municipal ordinance violations and juvenile delinquency adjudications. It modifies the list of non-expungeable offenses, making some previously ineligible crimes eligible for expungement while maintaining restrictions on more serious offenses. The bill also enhances the electronic filing and review process for expungements, ensuring accurate documentation and harmonizing financial assessment requirements across various expungement types. Overall, the bill aims to create a more accessible and efficient expungement process while ensuring public safety.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:52-4.1, 2C:52-5.3, 2C:52-5.4, 2C:52-10.1