MT HJ45

Requests the Legislative Council to designate an interim committee to study collateral consequences of criminal convictions and criminal record expungement laws in Montana

Study areas include legal barriers to housing and employment, discrimination based on expunged records, interstate challenges for individuals with expunged histories, and disclosure of expunged records by commercial background check providers

Requires analysis of felony recidivism rates, employment outcomes, wage growth, and housing stability for individuals before and after record expungement

Mandates examination of criminal record clearance laws in other states and forensic peer support models in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas

Study must conclude by September 15, 2026, with final results reported to the 70th Legislature as introduced legislation