The bill amends Section 32A-2-26 NMSA 1978, which governs the sealing of juvenile records. It introduces a new provision that allows a party to refer to the existence of a sealed juvenile record in written pleadings specifically for hearings related to pretrial detention, conditions of release, or sentencing. This insertion aims to provide clarity on how sealed juvenile records can be referenced in legal proceedings while maintaining the confidentiality of the record's contents unless otherwise permitted by law.

Additionally, the bill maintains existing procedures for sealing juvenile records, including the conditions under which records can be sealed and the notification requirements for relevant parties. The amendment emphasizes the balance between protecting the privacy of juvenile records and allowing necessary references to these records in specific legal contexts, thereby ensuring that the judicial process can consider relevant information while upholding the confidentiality of juvenile offenders.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 32A-2-26