House Bill No. 2235, introduced by Munson, seeks to amend Oklahoma's laws regarding wrongful convictions and expungement procedures. The bill streamlines the expungement process by allowing hearings to be scheduled within 30 days of filing, with a notice requirement of at least 10 days to relevant agencies. It establishes an automatic expungement process for eligible arrest records, detailing the roles of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the courts. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for sealing records, the rights of individuals to petition for unsealing, and clarifies the implications of expungement on employment and educational applications.

Moreover, the bill amends the Governmental Tort Claims Act to increase the liability amount for wrongful incarceration claims from $175,000 to a formula of $50,000 per year served in prison. It introduces supplemental compensation for those who served time on death row or were released on parole and allows claimants to obtain group health benefit plan coverage through the Department of Corrections. The bill also mandates that the Legislature appropriate funds to support these changes and outlines the Department of Corrections' responsibilities in providing information to wrongfully imprisoned individuals. Additionally, it establishes educational fee waivers for wrongfully imprisoned individuals and their children, ensuring access to higher education resources. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.

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