Existing law, subject to an appropriation, requires the Department of Justice, on a monthly basis, to review the records in the statewide criminal justice databases and identify persons who are eligible for arrest record relief and automatic conviction record relief. Commencing on October 1, 2024, existing law makes arrest record relief available to eligible person if the arrest occurred on or after January 1, 1973. Under existing law, a person is eligible for arrest record relief under these provisions if, among other things, the arrest was for a misdemeanor offense and the charge was dismissed.

This bill removes the requirement that the arrest be for a misdemeanor offense and would instead make a person eligible for relief pursuant to the above-described provisions if the arrest occurred on or after January 1, 1973, and the charge was dismissed.

Under existing law, a person is eligible for automatic conviction record relief if the person meets certain requirements, including that it does not appear, based upon information available in the Department of Justice’s record, that the person is currently serving a sentence of an offense and there is no indication of pending criminal charges.

This bill would require, in determining whether there is a pending criminal charge based on the department’s records, the department to conclude that there is no indication of pending criminal charges if at least 3 years have elapsed with no new activity related to that record. The bill would require, in determining whether a person is currently serving a sentence for an offense, the department to conclude that the person is no longer serving a sentence if the department is unable to determine whether a sentence is complete and at least 7 years have passed since the date of conviction.

Existing law, subject to an appropriation, on a monthly basis, requires the department to electronically submit a notice to the superior court having jurisdiction over the criminal case and inform the court of all cases for which a complaint was filed and for which relief was granted pursuant to the provisions above. Existing law, for any certain record retained by the court, prohibits the court from disclosing information concerning a conviction granted relief pursuant to specified provisions, including the above provisions, to any person or entity, in any format, except to the person whose conviction was granted relief or a criminal justice agency.

This bill would require local summary criminal history information provided by the court to any recipient to include notes for any entries for which relief has been granted, indicating that relief has been granted pursuant to the above provisions and listing the date the court received notice from the department. The bill would require this note to be included in all local criminal databases maintained by the court. By placing additional duties on court staff, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

This bill would also require a court, upon the request of the subject of a record granted relief, to furnish a register of action confirming the court’s receipt of notification and compliance with a grant of relief for a specified record granted relief under the above provisions.