S.B. 201 Enrolled

1

EXPUNGEMENT MODIFICATIONS
2 2014 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Scott K. Jenkins
5 House Sponsor: Kay L. McIff
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill amends provisions related to the issuance of an expungement order.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . includes the Department of Insurance, Department of Commerce, and the
13 Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice in the list of agencies allowed to
14 access expunged files;
15 . prohibits agencies authorized to access expunged records in certain circumstances
16 from revealing or releasing any information related to the expunged record; and
17 . provides for the Board of Pardons and Parole to issue an order of expungement
18 when granting a pardon.
19 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20 None
21 Other Special Clauses:
22 None
23 Utah Code Sections Affected:
24 AMENDS:
25 77-27-5.1 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 41
26 77-40-102 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 41
27 77-40-105 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 41
28 77-40-109 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 41
29

30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 77-27-5.1 is amended to read:
32 77-27-5.1. Board authority to order expungement.
33 (1) Upon granting a pardon [for one or more convictions], the board shall issue an
34 expungement order, directing any criminal justice agency to remove the recipient's identifying
35 information relating to the expunged convictions from its records.
36 (2) An expungement order, issued by the board, has the same legal effect and authority
37 as an order of expungement issued by a court, pursuant to Title 77, Chapter 40, Utah
38 Expungement Act.
39 (3) The board shall provide clear written directions to the recipient along with a list of
40 agencies known to be affected by the expungement order.
41 Section 2. Section 77-40-102 is amended to read:
42 77-40-102. Definitions.
43 As used in this chapter:
44 (1) "Administrative finding" means a decision upon a question of fact reached by an
45 administrative agency following an administrative hearing or other procedure satisfying the
46 requirements of due process.
47 (2) "Agency" means a state, county, or local government entity that generates or
48 maintains records relating to an investigation, arrest, detention, or conviction for an offense for
49 which expungement may be ordered.
50 (3) "Bureau" means the Bureau of Criminal Identification of the Department of Public
51 Safety established in Section 53-10-201 .
52 (4) "Certificate of eligibility" means a document issued by the bureau stating that the
53 criminal record [which] and all records of arrest, investigation, and detention associated with a
54 case that is the subject of a petition for expungement is eligible for expungement.
55 (5) "Conviction" means judgment by a criminal court on a verdict or finding of guilty
56 after trial, a plea of guilty, or a plea of nolo contendere.
57 (6) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety established in Section

58 53-1-103 .
59 (7) "Drug possession offense" means an offense under:
60 (a) Subsection 58-37-8 (2), except any offense under Subsection 58-37-8 (2)(b)(i),
61 possession of 100 pounds or more of marijuana, any offense enhanced under Subsection
62 58-37-8 (2)(e), violation in a correctional facility or Subsection 58-37-8 (2)(g), driving with a
63 controlled substance illegally in the person's body and negligently causing serious bodily injury
64 or death of another;
65 (b) Subsection 58-37a-5 (1), use or possession of drug paraphernalia;
66 (c) Section 58-37b-6 , possession or use of an imitation controlled substance; or
67 (d) any local ordinance which is substantially similar to any of the offenses described
68 in this Subsection (7).
69 (8) "Expunge" means to seal or otherwise restrict access to the petitioner's record [of
70 arrest, investigation, detention, or conviction] held by an agency[.] when the record includes a
71 criminal investigation, detention, arrest, or conviction.
72 (9) "Jurisdiction" means a state, district, province, political subdivision, territory, or
73 possession of the United States or any foreign country.
74 (10) "Petitioner" means a person seeking expungement under this chapter.
75 (11) "Traffic offense" means all offenses in the following parts and all local ordinances
76 that are substantially similar to the offenses:
77 (a) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 3, Traffic-Control Devices;
78 (b) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 6, Speed Restrictions;
79 (c) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 7, Driving on Right Side of Highway and Passing;
80 (d) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 8, Turning and Signaling for Turns;
81 (e) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 9, Right-of-Way;
82 (f) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 10, Pedestrians' Rights and Duties;
83 (g) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 11, Bicycles, Regulation of Operation;
84 (h) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 12, Railroad Trains, Railroad Grade Crossings, and
85 Safety Zones;

86 (i) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 13, School Buses and School Bus Parking Zones;
87 (j) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 14, Stopping, Standing, and Parking;
88 (k) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 15, Special Vehicles;
89 (l) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 16, Vehicle Equipment;
90 (m) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 17, Miscellaneous Rules; and
91 (n) Title 41, Chapter 6a, Part 18, Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Usage Act.
92 Section 3. Section 77-40-105 is amended to read:
93 77-40-105. Eligibility for expungement of conviction -- Requirements.
94 (1) A person convicted of an offense may apply to the bureau for a certificate of
95 eligibility to expunge the record of conviction as provided in this section.
96 (2) A petitioner is not eligible to receive a certificate of eligibility from the bureau if:
97 (a) the conviction for which expungement is sought is:
98 (i) a capital felony;
99 (ii) a first degree felony;
100 (iii) a violent felony as defined in Subsection 76-3-203.5 (1)(c)(i);
101 (iv) felony automobile homicide;
102 (v) a felony violation of Subsection 41-6a-501 (2); or
103 (vi) a registerable sex offense as defined in Subsection 77-41-102 (16);
104 (b) a criminal proceeding is pending against the petitioner; or
105 (c) the petitioner intentionally or knowingly provides false or misleading information
106 on the application for a certificate of eligibility.
107 (3) A petitioner seeking to obtain expungement for a record of conviction is not
108 eligible to receive a certificate of eligibility from the bureau until all of the following have
109 occurred:
110 (a) all fines and interest ordered by the court have been paid in full;
111 (b) all restitution ordered by the court pursuant to Section 77-38a-302 , or by the Board
112 of Pardons and Parole pursuant to Section 77-27-6 , has been paid in full; and
113 (c) the following time periods have elapsed from the date the petitioner was convicted

114 or released from incarceration, parole, or probation, whichever occurred last, for each
115 conviction the petitioner seeks to expunge:
116 (i) 10 years in the case of a misdemeanor conviction of Subsection 41-6a-501 (2) or a
117 felony conviction of Subsection 58-37-8 (2)(g);
118 (ii) seven years in the case of a felony;
119 (iii) five years in the case of any class A misdemeanor or a felony drug possession
120 offense;
121 (iv) four years in the case of a class B misdemeanor; or
122 (v) three years in the case of any other misdemeanor or infraction.
123 (4) The bureau may not issue a certificate of eligibility if, at the time the petitioner
124 seeks a certificate of eligibility, the bureau determines that the petitioner's criminal history,
125 including previously expunged convictions, contains any of the following:
126 (a) two or more felony convictions other than for drug possession offenses, each of
127 which is contained in a separate criminal episode;
128 (b) any combination of three or more convictions other than for drug possession
129 offenses that include two class A misdemeanor convictions, each of which is contained in a
130 separate criminal episode;
131 (c) any combination of four or more convictions other than for drug possession
132 offenses that include three class B misdemeanor convictions, each of which is contained in a
133 separate criminal episode; or
134 (d) five or more convictions other than for drug possession offenses of any degree
135 whether misdemeanor or felony, excluding infractions and any traffic offenses, each of which
136 is contained in a separate criminal episode.
137 (5) The bureau may not issue a certificate of eligibility if, at the time the petitioner
138 seeks a certificate of eligibility, the bureau determines that the petitioner's criminal history,
139 including previously expunged convictions, contains any of the following:
140 (a) three or more felony convictions for drug possession offenses, each of which is
141 contained in a separate criminal episode; or

142 (b) any combination of five or more convictions for drug possession offenses, each of
143 which is contained in a separate criminal episode.
144 (6) If the petitioner's criminal history contains convictions for both a drug possession
145 offense and a non drug possession offense arising from the same criminal episode, that criminal
146 episode shall be counted as provided in Subsection (4) if any non drug possession offense in
147 that episode:
148 (a) is a felony or class A misdemeanor; or
149 (b) has the same or a longer waiting period under Subsection (3) than any drug
150 possession offense in that episode.
151 (7) If, prior to May 14, 2013, the petitioner has received a pardon from the Utah Board
152 of Pardons and Parole, the petitioner is entitled to [a certificate of eligibility] an expungement
153 order for all pardoned crimes pursuant to Section 77-27-5.1 .
154 Section 4. Section 77-40-109 is amended to read:
155 77-40-109. Retention and release of expunged records -- Agencies.
156 (1) The bureau shall keep, index, and maintain all expunged records of arrests and
157 convictions.
158 (2) (a) Employees of the bureau may not divulge any information contained in its index
159 to any person or agency without a court order unless specifically authorized by statute.
160 (b) The following organizations may receive information contained in expunged
161 records upon specific request:
162 [(a)] (i) the Board of Pardons and Parole;
163 [(b)] (ii) Peace Officer Standards and Training;
164 [(c)] (iii) federal authorities, unless prohibited by federal law;
165 [(d) the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing; and]
166 (iv) the Department of Commerce;
167 (v) the Department of Insurance;
168 [(e)] (vi) the State Office of Education[.]; and
169 (vii) the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, for purposes of investigating

170 applicants for judicial office.
171 (c) A person or agency authorized by this Subsection (2) to view expunged records
172 may not reveal or release any information obtained from the expunged records to anyone
173 outside the court order or specific request, including distribution on a public website.
174 (3) The bureau may also use the information in its index as provided in Section
175 53-5-704 .
176 (4) If, after obtaining an expungement, the petitioner is charged with a felony, the state
177 may petition the court to open the expunged records upon a showing of good cause.
178 (5) (a) For judicial sentencing, a court may order any records expunged under this
179 chapter or Section 77-27-5.1 to be opened and admitted into evidence.
180 (b) The records are confidential and are available for inspection only by the court,
181 parties, counsel for the parties, and any other person who is authorized by the court to inspect
182 them.
183 (c) At the end of the action or proceeding, the court shall order the records expunged
184 again.
185 (d) Any person authorized by this Subsection (5) to view expunged records may not
186 reveal or release any information obtained from the expunged records to anyone outside the
187 court.
188 (6) Records released under this chapter are classified as protected under Section
189 63G-2-305 and are accessible only as provided under Title 63G, Chapter 2, Part 2, Access to
190 Records.