House Bill 940 - Summary

• Allows U.S. citizens convicted of certain felonies to have their records automatically expunged five (5) years after completing all terms and conditions of their sentence, without requiring a petition.

• Excludes felonies from automatic expungement including crimes of violence, arson, drug trafficking, repeat DUI offenses, felon in possession of firearm, sex offender registration failures, voyeurism, witness intimidation, abuse of vulnerable persons, and embezzlement involving $5,000 or more.

• Requires circuit clerks to forward certified copies of expunction orders to the Mississippi Criminal Information Center within forty-five (45) days, and mandates the Department of Public Safety remove criminal records from the central database within forty-five (45) days of receiving the order.

• Limits individuals to one (1) felony expunction under this law, with multiple convictions from the same incident counting as a single expunction.

• Takes effect July 1, 2025.