HB 727 Summary

• Creates automatic expunction of criminal history records for individuals not found guilty, including cases where charges were not filed, dismissed, or resulted in acquittal, without requiring a certificate of eligibility from the department.

• Allows courts to order expunction of records relating to multiple arrests or incidents if the person was not adjudicated guilty of any acts stemming from those arrests or alleged criminal activity.

• Prohibits expunction of records for specific offenses including sexual abuse, human trafficking, child exploitation, and other predicate offenses requiring sexual predator or sexual offender registration.

• Amends existing expunction and sealing statutes (ss. 943.0582, 943.0585, 943.059) and pretrial intervention programs to reference the new automatic expunction provision under s. 943.0595.

• Requires courts to serve petitions on state attorneys and arresting agencies, who may respond; protects criminal justice agencies from liability if unable to comply with orders that do not meet statutory requirements.