This bill adds a new use for grants under section 106(b) of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. It provides grants to States to modernize criminal justice data infrastructure so States can carry out automatic sealing or expungement of criminal records. The bill defines “automatic” expungement or sealing as occurring without any action by the person whose record is affected. It defines a “covered expungement law” as a State law that allows automatic sealing or expungement of records and that does not delay the process because someone has not paid a fee or fine. The bill also requires States that receive grants to report each grant year to the Attorney General: (1) how many people are eligible for automatic expungement or sealing, (2) how many people have had records sealed or expunged each year since the State law began, and (3) how many applications are still pending. Each of these data points must be broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. If the State cannot compile some required data, it must submit a plan to get as much of that data as possible within one year after the first grant year. The Attorney General must publish the reported data within one year after enactment and annually after that.
If your State has a covered expungement law and receives a grant under this program, your criminal record could be sealed or expunged automatically without you filing paperwork or paying fees that would delay the process. States would update computer systems and records processes to support those automatic actions. The public will be able to see annual data on who is eligible and who has had records sealed or expunged, broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. Exact effects depend on the details of your State law and whether your State applies for and receives a grant.
The bill creates a grant program for States to modernize criminal justice data systems. No publicly available information on total funding amounts, appropriations, or federal cost estimates is included in the text provided.
The sponsors amended the Brady Act to add grants to help States modernize data infrastructure and implement automatic expungement or sealing under covered State laws. The bill also builds in annual reporting to the Attorney General and public publication of the data.
No publicly available information on opposition or criticisms is included in the provided text.