MN HF3762

Chiefs of police and sheriffs may open expunged conviction records without a court order to investigate whether a person is eligible to purchase, receive, or carry a firearm under transferee permit, pistol transfer, and permit-to-carry statutes.

Applies only to records expunged on or after January 1, 2015; records expunged before that date remain permanently sealed and inaccessible.

Law enforcement must notify applicants when an expunged record is the basis for denying a firearm permit or disqualifying a transferee, and must provide a copy of the record upon request.

If the expunged record does not result in a denial, law enforcement must store it separately and restrict its use to the specific firearm eligibility investigation.

Opened records otherwise remain subject to the original expungement order and may only be shared between chiefs of police and sheriffs for firearm eligibility purposes or related appeals.