1.1                                        A bill for an act&#10;1.2     relating to public safety; recodifying and restructuring the law on expungements &#10;1.3     of criminal records; expanding eligibility for expungements; proposing coding &#10;1.4     for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609B; repealing Minnesota Statutes &#10;1.5     2004, sections 609A.01; 609A.02, subdivisions 1, 2, 4; 609A.03, subdivisions 1, &#10;1.6     2, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 6, 8, 9; Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, sections 609A.02, &#10;1.7     subdivision 3; 609A.03, subdivision 7.&#10;1.8     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.1.0"></a>1.9         Section 1. <ins><b>[609B.01] CRIMINAL RECORDS EXPUNGEMENT.</b></ins>&#10;1.10    <ins>This chapter provides the grounds and procedures for expungement of criminal </ins>&#10;1.11    <ins>records under section  </ins><ins>13.82</ins><ins>;  </ins><ins>152.18, subdivision 1</ins><ins>;  </ins><ins>299C.11</ins><ins>, where a petition is authorized </ins>&#10;1.12    <ins>under section  </ins><ins>609B.02</ins><ins>; or other applicable law. The remedy available is limited to a court </ins>&#10;1.13    <ins>order sealing the records and prohibiting the disclosure of their existence or their opening </ins>&#10;1.14    <ins>except under court order or statutory authority. Nothing in this chapter authorizes the </ins>&#10;1.15    <ins>destruction of records or their return to the subject of the records. </ins>&#10;1.16    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to </ins>&#10;1.17    <ins>expungement petitions filed on or after that date.</ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.2.0"></a>1.18        Sec. 2. <ins><b>[609B.02] GROUNDS FOR ORDER.</b></ins>&#10;1.19    <ins>A person may petition under section  </ins><ins>609B.03</ins><ins> for the sealing of all records relating </ins>&#10;1.20    <ins>to the person's arrest, citation, indictment or information, complaint, trial, guilty plea, or </ins>&#10;1.21    <ins>verdict regardless of whether the proceedings were resolved in the person's favor. </ins>&#10;1.22    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to </ins>&#10;1.23    <ins>expungement petitions filed on or after that date.</ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.3.0"></a>2.1         Sec. 3. <ins><b>[609B.03] PETITION TO EXPUNGE CRIMINAL RECORDS.</b></ins>&#10;2.2         <ins>Subdivision 1.</ins> <ins><b>Petition; filing fee.</b></ins> <ins>An individual who is the subject of a criminal </ins>&#10;2.3     <ins>record who is seeking the expungement of the record shall file a petition under this section </ins>&#10;2.4     <ins>and pay a filing fee in the amount required under section  </ins><ins>357.021, subdivision 2</ins><ins>, clause </ins>&#10;2.5     <ins>(1). The filing fee may be waived if the actions or proceedings that resulted in the criminal </ins>&#10;2.6     <ins>record were resolved in favor of the petitioner. </ins>&#10;2.7         <ins>Subd. 2.</ins> <ins><b>Contents of petition.</b></ins> <ins>(a) A petition for expungement shall be signed under </ins>&#10;2.8     <ins>oath by the petitioner and shall state the following:</ins>&#10;2.9     <ins>(1) the petitioner's full name and all other legal names or aliases by which the </ins>&#10;2.10    <ins>petitioner has been known at any time;</ins>&#10;2.11    <ins>(2) the petitioner's date of birth;</ins>&#10;2.12    <ins>(3) all of the petitioner's addresses from the date of the offense or alleged offense in </ins>&#10;2.13    <ins>connection with which an expungement order is sought, to the date of the petition;</ins>&#10;2.14    <ins>(4) why expungement is sought, if it is for employment or licensure purposes, the </ins>&#10;2.15    <ins>statutory or other legal authority under which it is sought, and why it should be granted;</ins>&#10;2.16    <ins>(5) the details of the offense or arrest for which expungement is sought, including </ins>&#10;2.17    <ins>the date and jurisdiction of the occurrence; either the names of any victims or that there </ins>&#10;2.18    <ins>were no identifiable victims; whether there is a current order for protection, restraining </ins>&#10;2.19    <ins>order, or other no-contact order prohibiting the petitioner from contacting the victims; or </ins>&#10;2.20    <ins>whether there has ever been a prior order for protection or restraining order prohibiting the </ins>&#10;2.21    <ins>petitioner from contacting the victims; the court file number; and the date of conviction </ins>&#10;2.22    <ins>or of dismissal;</ins>&#10;2.23    <ins>(6) in the case of a conviction, what steps the petitioner has taken since the time of </ins>&#10;2.24    <ins>the offense toward personal rehabilitation, including treatment, work, or other personal </ins>&#10;2.25    <ins>history that demonstrates rehabilitation;</ins>&#10;2.26    <ins>(7) the petitioner's criminal conviction record indicating all convictions for </ins>&#10;2.27    <ins>misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, or felonies in this state, and for all comparable </ins>&#10;2.28    <ins>convictions in any other state, federal court, or foreign country, whether the convictions </ins>&#10;2.29    <ins>occurred before or after the arrest or conviction for which expungement is sought;</ins>&#10;2.30    <ins>(8) the petitioner's criminal charges record indicating all prior and pending criminal </ins>&#10;2.31    <ins>charges against the petitioner in this state or another jurisdiction, including all criminal </ins>&#10;2.32    <ins>charges that have been continued for dismissal or stayed for adjudication, or have been the </ins>&#10;2.33    <ins>subject of pretrial diversion; and</ins>&#10;2.34    <ins>(9) all prior requests by the petitioner, whether for the present offense or for any </ins>&#10;2.35    <ins>other offenses, in this state or any other state or federal court, for pardon, return of arrest </ins>&#10;3.1     <ins>records, or expungement or sealing of a criminal record, whether granted or not, and all </ins>&#10;3.2     <ins>stays of adjudication or imposition of sentence involving the petitioner.</ins>&#10;3.3     <ins>(b) If there is a current order for protection, restraining order, or other no-contact </ins>&#10;3.4     <ins>order prohibiting the petitioner from contacting the victims, or there has ever been a prior </ins>&#10;3.5     <ins>order for protection or restraining order prohibiting the petitioner from contacting the </ins>&#10;3.6     <ins>victims, the petitioner shall attach a copy of the order to the petition.</ins>&#10;3.7         <ins>Subd. 3.</ins> <ins><b>Service of petition and proposed order.</b></ins> <ins>(a) The petitioner shall serve by </ins>&#10;3.8     <ins>mail the petition for expungement and a proposed expungement order on the prosecutorial </ins>&#10;3.9     <ins>office that had jurisdiction over the offense for which expungement is sought and all </ins>&#10;3.10    <ins>other state and local government agencies and jurisdictions whose records would be </ins>&#10;3.11    <ins>affected by the proposed order. The petitioner shall also serve by mail the attorney for </ins>&#10;3.12    <ins>each agency and jurisdiction.</ins>&#10;3.13    <ins>(b) The prosecutorial office that had jurisdiction over the offense for which </ins>&#10;3.14    <ins>expungement is sought shall serve by mail the petition for expungement and a proposed </ins>&#10;3.15    <ins>expungement order on any victims of the offense for which expungement is sought who </ins>&#10;3.16    <ins>have requested notice of expungement pursuant to section  </ins><ins>611A.06</ins><ins>. Service under this </ins>&#10;3.17    <ins>paragraph does not constitute a violation of an existing order for protection, restraining </ins>&#10;3.18    <ins>order, or other no-contact order. </ins>&#10;3.19    <ins>(c) The prosecutorial office's notice to victims of the offense under this subdivision </ins>&#10;3.20    <ins>must specifically inform the victims of the victims' right to be present and to submit an </ins>&#10;3.21    <ins>oral or written statement at the expungement hearing described in subdivision 4.</ins>&#10;3.22        <ins>Subd. 4.</ins> <ins><b>Hearing.</b></ins> <ins>A hearing on the petition shall be held no sooner than 60 days </ins>&#10;3.23    <ins>after service of the petition. A victim of the offense for which expungement is sought </ins>&#10;3.24    <ins>has a right to submit an oral or written statement to the court at the time of the hearing </ins>&#10;3.25    <ins>describing the harm suffered by the victim as a result of the crime and the victim's </ins>&#10;3.26    <ins>recommendation on whether expungement should be granted or denied. The judge shall </ins>&#10;3.27    <ins>consider the victim's statement when making a decision.</ins>&#10;3.28        <ins>Subd. 5.</ins> <ins><b>Maintenance of records. </b></ins> <ins>If the court issues an expungement order it may </ins>&#10;3.29    <ins>require that the criminal record be sealed and the record not be opened except as provided </ins>&#10;3.30    <ins>under subdivision 8. An expungement order or a record of the existence of an expunged </ins>&#10;3.31    <ins>record must not be disclosed, except as provided under subdivision 8. Records must not </ins>&#10;3.32    <ins>be destroyed or returned to the subject of the record.</ins>&#10;3.33        <ins>Subd. 6.</ins> <ins><b>Order concerning crimes of violence.</b></ins> <ins>An order expunging the record of </ins>&#10;3.34    <ins>a conviction for a crime of violence as defined in section  </ins><ins>624.712, subdivision 5</ins><ins>, must </ins>&#10;3.35    <ins>provide that the person is not entitled to ship, transport, possess, or receive a firearm </ins>&#10;3.36    <ins>for the remainder of the person's lifetime. Any person whose record of conviction is </ins>&#10;4.1     <ins>expunged under this section and who thereafter receives a relief of disability under United </ins>&#10;4.2     <ins>States Code, title 18, section 925, or whose ability to possess firearms has been restored </ins>&#10;4.3     <ins>under section  </ins><ins>609.165, subdivision 1d</ins><ins>, is not subject to the restriction in this subdivision. </ins>&#10;4.4         <ins>Subd. 7.</ins> <ins><b>Effect of order.</b></ins> <ins>If the court orders an expungement under this section, </ins>&#10;4.5     <ins>the effect of the order shall be to restore the person, in the contemplation of the law, </ins>&#10;4.6     <ins>to the status the person occupied before the arrest, citation, indictment or information, </ins>&#10;4.7     <ins>complaint, trial, guilty plea, or verdict. The person shall not be held guilty of perjury or </ins>&#10;4.8     <ins>otherwise of giving a false statement if the person fails to acknowledge any of these </ins>&#10;4.9     <ins>events in response to any inquiry made for any purpose. </ins>&#10;4.10        <ins>Subd. 8.</ins> <ins><b>Limitations of order.</b></ins> <ins>(a) Upon issuance of an expungement order related </ins>&#10;4.11    <ins>to a charge supported by probable cause, the DNA samples and DNA records held by </ins>&#10;4.12    <ins>the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and collected under authority other than section </ins>&#10;4.13    <ins>299C.105</ins><ins>, shall not be sealed, returned to the subject of the record, or destroyed.</ins>&#10;4.14    <ins>(b) Notwithstanding the issuance of an expungement order:</ins>&#10;4.15    <ins>(1) an expunged record may be opened for purposes of a criminal investigation, </ins>&#10;4.16    <ins>prosecution, or sentencing, upon an ex parte court order;</ins>&#10;4.17    <ins>(2) the fact that an expunged record exists may be made available to law enforcement </ins>&#10;4.18    <ins>authorities acting within the scope of official duties; </ins>&#10;4.19    <ins>(3) an expunged record of a conviction may be opened for purposes of evaluating a </ins>&#10;4.20    <ins>prospective employee in a criminal justice agency without a court order; and</ins>&#10;4.21    <ins>(4) an expunged record of a conviction may be opened for purposes of a statutorily </ins>&#10;4.22    <ins>required background study without a court order if the subject of the record has been given </ins>&#10;4.23    <ins>notice before the study that expunged records may be opened. </ins>&#10;4.24    <ins>Upon request by law enforcement, prosecution, or corrections authorities, an agency </ins>&#10;4.25    <ins>or jurisdiction subject to an expungement order shall inform the requester of the existence </ins>&#10;4.26    <ins>of an expunged record and of the right to obtain access to it as provided by this paragraph. </ins>&#10;4.27    <ins>For purposes of this section, a "criminal justice agency" means courts or a government </ins>&#10;4.28    <ins>agency that performs the administration of criminal justice under statutory authority.</ins>&#10;4.29        <ins>Subd. 9.</ins> <ins><b>Distribution of expungement orders.</b></ins> <ins>The court administrator shall </ins>&#10;4.30    <ins>send a copy of an expungement order to each agency and jurisdiction whose records are </ins>&#10;4.31    <ins>affected by the terms of the order.</ins>&#10;4.32        <ins>Subd. 10.</ins> <ins><b>Stay of order; appeal.</b></ins> <ins>An expungement order shall be stayed </ins>&#10;4.33    <ins>automatically for 60 days after the order is filed and, if the order is appealed, during the </ins>&#10;4.34    <ins>appeal period. A person or an agency or jurisdiction whose records would be affected by </ins>&#10;4.35    <ins>the order may appeal the order within 60 days of service of notice of filing of the order. An </ins>&#10;5.1     <ins>agency or jurisdiction or its officials or employees need not file a cost bond or supersedeas </ins>&#10;5.2     <ins>bond in order to further stay the proceedings or file an appeal.</ins>&#10;5.3         <ins>Subd. 11.</ins> <ins><b>Factors to be considered; extent of order. </b></ins> <ins>(a) When deciding whether to </ins>&#10;5.4     <ins>issue an expungement order under this section, the court shall consider: </ins>&#10;5.5     <ins>(1) the nature and severity of the underlying crime whose record is the subject of </ins>&#10;5.6     <ins>the expungement petition; </ins>&#10;5.7     <ins>(2) the danger, if any, the petitioner poses to any individuals or society; </ins>&#10;5.8     <ins>(3) the length of time since the crime occurred; </ins>&#10;5.9     <ins>(4) the steps taken by the petitioner towards rehabilitation following the crime; </ins>&#10;5.10    <ins>(5) extenuating or mitigating factors relating to the underlying crime, including, but </ins>&#10;5.11    <ins>not limited to, the petitioner's level of participation, claims of innocence, and irregularities </ins>&#10;5.12    <ins>in the trial; </ins>&#10;5.13    <ins>(6) the reasons for the expungement, including, but not limited to, the petitioner's </ins>&#10;5.14    <ins>attempts to obtain employment, housing, or other necessities; </ins>&#10;5.15    <ins>(7) the petitioner's criminal record; </ins>&#10;5.16    <ins>(8) the petitioner's record of employment and community involvement; </ins>&#10;5.17    <ins>(9) the recommendations of interested law enforcement, prosecutorial, and </ins>&#10;5.18    <ins>corrections officials; </ins>&#10;5.19    <ins>(10) the recommendations of any victims of the underlying crime; and </ins>&#10;5.20    <ins>(11) any other factor deemed relevant by the court. </ins>&#10;5.21    <ins>(b) A court's decision on whether to issue an expungement order is completely </ins>&#10;5.22    <ins>discretionary. If the court grants the expungement petition, it shall specify what records </ins>&#10;5.23    <ins>are to be affected by the order. The order may affect judicial branch records, executive </ins>&#10;5.24    <ins>branch records, and any other government records deemed appropriate by the court. </ins>&#10;5.25    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to </ins>&#10;5.26    <ins>expungement petitions filed on or after that date.</ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.4.0"></a>5.27        Sec. 4. <ins><b>[609B.04] BUSINESS SCREENING SERVICES; REMOVAL OF DATA </b></ins>&#10;5.28    <ins><b>ON EXPUNGED RECORDS; CORRECTIONS.</b></ins>&#10;5.29        <ins>Subdivision 1.</ins> <ins><b>Definition.</b></ins> <ins>For purposes of this section, "business screening service" </ins>&#10;5.30    <ins>means a person engaged in the business of gathering, storing, or disseminating background </ins>&#10;5.31    <ins>information on individuals that includes records of arrests, citations, criminal proceedings, </ins>&#10;5.32    <ins>or convictions involving the individual. Business screening service does not include a </ins>&#10;5.33    <ins>residential screening service under sections 504B.235 to 504B.245.</ins>&#10;5.34        <ins>Subd. 2.</ins> <ins><b>Deletion of expunged records.</b></ins> <ins>If a business screening service knows that </ins>&#10;5.35    <ins>records of an arrest, citation, criminal proceeding, or conviction involving an individual </ins>&#10;6.1     <ins>have been expunged under this chapter or other law, the screening service shall delete any </ins>&#10;6.2     <ins>reference to those records in information maintained or disseminated by the screening </ins>&#10;6.3     <ins>service.</ins>&#10;6.4         <ins>Subd. 3.</ins> <ins><b>Corrections.</b></ins> <ins>If the completeness or accuracy of a record involving an </ins>&#10;6.5     <ins>arrest, citation, criminal proceeding, or conviction maintained by a business screening </ins>&#10;6.6     <ins>service is disputed by the individual who is the subject of the record, the screening </ins>&#10;6.7     <ins>service must reinvestigate and document the current status of the record. If the record is </ins>&#10;6.8     <ins>found to be inaccurate or can no longer be verified, the screening service must correct </ins>&#10;6.9     <ins>the inaccuracy or delete any reference to that record in information maintained or </ins>&#10;6.10    <ins>disseminated by the screening service. At the request of the individual, the screening </ins>&#10;6.11    <ins>service must give notification of the correction or deletion to persons who have received </ins>&#10;6.12    <ins>the record within the past six months.</ins>&#10;6.13        <ins>Subd. 4.</ins> <ins><b>Remedy.</b></ins> <ins>A business screening service that violates this section is liable </ins>&#10;6.14    <ins>to the individual who is the subject of the record for a penalty of $10,000 or actual </ins>&#10;6.15    <ins>damages caused by the violation, whichever is greater, plus costs and disbursements and </ins>&#10;6.16    <ins>reasonable attorney fees.</ins>&#10;6.17    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006. </ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.5.0"></a>6.18        Sec. 5. <ins><b>[609B.05] NO DUTY TO DISCOVER EXPUNGED RECORDS.</b></ins>&#10;6.19    <ins>An employer or prospective employer does not have a duty to discover or use a </ins>&#10;6.20    <ins>record that has been expunged under this chapter or other law for purposes of making </ins>&#10;6.21    <ins>an employment decision.</ins>&#10;6.22    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006. </ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.6.0"></a>6.23        Sec. 6. <ins><b>REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.</b></ins>&#10;6.24    <ins>The revisor of statutes shall replace all statutory references to Minnesota Statutes, </ins>&#10;6.25    <ins>sections 609A.01 to 609A.03, with references to the appropriate successor sections in </ins>&#10;6.26    <ins>chapter 609B. </ins>&#10;6.27    <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective the day following final enactment.</ins>&#10;&#10;<a id="go.0.7.0"></a>6.28        Sec. 7. <ins><b> REPEALER.</b></ins>&#10;6.29    <ins>(a)</ins><ins> Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 609A.01; 609A.02, subdivisions 1, 2, and 4; </ins>&#10;6.30    <ins>and 609A.03, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 6, 8, and 9,</ins><ins> are repealed.</ins>&#10;6.31    <ins>(b)</ins><ins> Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, sections 609A.02, subdivision 3; and </ins>&#10;6.32    <ins>609A.03, subdivision 7,</ins><ins> are repealed.</ins>&#10;7.1     <ins><b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b></ins><ins>This section is effective August 1, 2006, and applies to </ins>&#10;7.2     <ins>expungement petitions filed on or after that date.</ins>&#10;