<section number="77-40a-403"><effdate>7/1/2026</effdate><histories><history>Amended by Chapter <modchap sess="2026GS">291</modchap>, 2026 General Session</history><modyear>2026</modyear></histories><catchline>Release and use of expunged records -- Agencies.</catchline><subsection number="77-40a-403(1)"><subsection number="77-40a-403(1)(a)">An agency with an expunged record, or any employee of an agency with an expunged record, may not knowingly or intentionally divulge any information contained in the expunged record to any person, or another agency, without a court order unless:<subsection number="77-40a-403(1)(a)(i)">specifically authorized by Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-40a-403(4)">(4)</xref> or Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-40a-404">77-40a-404</xref>; or</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(1)(a)(ii)">subject to Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-40a-403(1)(b)">(1)(b)</xref>, the information in an expunged record is being shared with another agency through a records management system that both agencies use for the purpose of record management.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(1)(b)">An agency with a records management system may not disclose any information in an expunged record to another agency or person, or allow another agency or person access to an expunged record, if that agency or person does not use the records management system for the purpose of record management.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)">The following entities or agencies may receive information contained in expunged records upon specific request:<subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(a)">the Board of Pardons and Parole;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(b)">Peace Officer Standards and Training;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(c)">federal authorities if required by federal law;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(d)">the State Board of Education;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(e)">the Department of Criminal Justice, for purposes of investigating applicants for judicial office; and</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(f)">a research institution or an agency engaged in research regarding the criminal justice system if:<subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(f)(i)">the research institution or agency provides a legitimate research purpose for gathering information from the expunged records;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(f)(ii)">the research institution or agency enters into a data sharing agreement with the court or agency with custody of the expunged records that protects the confidentiality of any identifying information in the expunged records;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(f)(iii)">any research using expunged records does not include any individual's name or identifying information in any product of that research; and</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(2)(f)(iv)">any product resulting from research using expunged records includes a disclosure that expunged records were used for research purposes.</subsection></subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(3)">Except as otherwise provided by this section or by court order, a person, an agency, or an entity authorized by this section to view expunged records may not reveal or release any information obtained from the expunged records to anyone outside the specific request, including distribution on a public website.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(4)">A prosecuting attorney may communicate with another prosecuting attorney, or another prosecutorial agency, regarding information in an expunged record that includes a conviction, or a charge dismissed as a result of a successful completion of a plea in abeyance agreement, for:<subsection number="77-40a-403(4)(a)">stalking as described in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="76-5-106.5">76-5-106.5</xref>;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(4)(b)">a domestic violence offense as defined in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-36-1">77-36-1</xref>;</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(4)(c)">an offense that would result in the individual being a child abuse offender, a sex offender, or a kidnap offender under Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53-29-202">53-29-202</xref>; or</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(4)(d)">a weapons offense under Title 76, Chapter 11, Weapons.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(5)">Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-40a-403(7)">(7)</xref>, a prosecuting attorney may not use an expunged record for the purpose of a sentencing enhancement or as a basis for charging an individual with an offense that requires a prior conviction.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(6)">The bureau may also use the information in the bureau's index as described in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53-5a-303">53-5a-303</xref>.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(7)">If an individual is charged with a felony, or an offense eligible for enhancement based on a prior conviction, after obtaining an order of expungement, the prosecuting attorney may petition the court in which the individual is charged to open the expunged records upon a showing of good cause.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(8)"><subsection number="77-40a-403(8)(a)">For judicial sentencing, a court may order any records expunged under this chapter or Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="77-27-5.1">77-27-5.1</xref> to be opened and admitted into evidence.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(8)(b)">The records are confidential and are available for inspection only by the court, parties, counsel for the parties, and any other person who is authorized by the court to inspect the records.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(8)(c)">At the end of the action or proceeding, the court shall order the records expunged again.</subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(8)(d)">Any person authorized by this Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="77-40a-403(8)">(8)</xref> to view expunged records may not reveal or release any information obtained from the expunged records to anyone outside the court.</subsection></subsection><subsection number="77-40a-403(9)">Records released under this chapter are classified as protected under Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="63G-2-305">63G-2-305</xref> and are accessible only as provided under Title 63G, Chapter 2, Part 2, Access to Records, and Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53-10-108(2)(k)">53-10-108(2)(k)</xref> for records held by the bureau.</subsection></section>