AR HB1831

Changes eligibility for sealing misdemeanor offenses and violations from 60 days after sentence completion to immediately after completing sentence, court costs, restitution, and driver's license reinstatement requirements.

Modifies felony sealing provisions to allow immediate petitions (instead of waiting 5 years) for nonviolent Class C and D felonies, unclassified felonies, and certain drug offenses under § 5-64-401 et seq.

Eliminates the $50 filing fee for sealing petitions unless the petitioner is not indigent, removing the previous requirement that only indigent petitioners could have fees waived.

Directs an interim study of the Comprehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2013 to propose legislation for the 2021 Regular Session, with intent to eventually make sealing of nonviolent and nonsexual offense records an automatic operation.

Maintains restrictions on repeat petitions, including 5-year waiting periods for certain offenses (negligent homicide, battery, sexual offenses, domestic battering) and 90-day waiting periods for other misdemeanors and violations.