DE HB201

Lowers the legal standard for human trafficking victims seeking to vacate convictions or juvenile adjudications from crimes committed "as a direct result" to "as a result" of being trafficked, recognizing the broader range of criminal behaviors victims may engage in due to exploitation

Requires motions to vacate and related hearings to be sealed or closed to protect victims from revictimization, unless the court finds good cause to open proceedings

Eliminates mandatory hearings on motions to vacate when the Attorney General consents or fails to respond within 30 days, allowing victims to obtain relief on uncontested motions without reliving trauma through formal questioning

Allows courts to order immediate expungement of police and court records when granting a motion to vacate, and discharges any unpaid fines, fees, or restitution associated with the vacated conviction

Establishes that victims can prove eligibility for vacatur by a preponderance of the evidence, and official documentation of trafficking victim status creates a presumption that crimes (except violent felonies) resulted from being trafficked