HB 149 Summary

• Allows persons arrested for or convicted of non-assaultive misdemeanors or felony drug possession to petition courts to shield their criminal records from public disclosure after completing their sentence and meeting eligibility requirements.

• Establishes a 5-year waiting period after sentence completion before petitioning for record shielding, during which the petitioner must have no subsequent convictions, no pending cases, and no restraining orders.

• Requires courts to hold hearings on shielding petitions and determine if the petitioner has been held accountable and poses no public safety risk before granting the shield.

• Specifies that shielded records remain accessible to law enforcement, prosecutors, and court officers for investigative and licensing purposes, but are otherwise unavailable to the public.

• Limits each person to one lifetime petition for record shielding and effective date January 1, 2024.