AR HB1256

Permits persons with certain felony convictions to petition for record sealing immediately after sentence completion, including nonviolent Class C and D felonies, unclassified felonies, and Class A or B drug offenses under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Allows sealing of felony records for crimes committed before age 18 that do not involve violence, and permits violent Class C and D felony records to be sealed after 5 years following sentence completion.

Removes the restriction that persons who served time in the Division of Correction are ineligible for record sealing under § 16-90-1408.

Establishes that prosecuting attorneys have 30 days after receiving a sealing petition to file a notice of opposition, and that courts may grant or deny felony sealing petitions at any time after the 30-day period expires.

Clarifies that felony offenses committed as part of the same criminal episode count as a single conviction for eligibility purposes, and that previously sealed convictions still count toward the one-prior-felony-conviction limit.