Permits those persons with felony convictions to have up to six misdemeanor offenses expunged from their criminal record.
Summary
H5072 amends Rhode Island’s expungement law to broaden who may seek expungement of criminal records and when. Under current law, expungement is generally available to a “first offender” and is barred for crimes of violence, with outstanding court-related financial obligations required to be paid unless waived or reduced. The bill creates a new pathway for people who have been convicted of more than one misdemeanor, but fewer than six misdemeanors, and who have not been convicted of a felony, to petition to expunge any or all of those misdemeanor convictions, subject to specified exclusions for certain offenses.
The bill also adjusts the timing rules for expungement petitions. It allows expungement of misdemeanor convictions after five years from completion of sentence, felony convictions after ten years, and misdemeanor convictions after ten years from completion of the person’s last sentence, while preserving existing treatment for deferred sentences and for offenses that have since been decriminalized. The measure would take effect immediately upon passage.
Impact
If enacted, H5072 would expand eligibility under Rhode Island’s criminal-record expungement statute, Chapter 12-1.3, by adding a new category of petitioners and clarifying multiple waiting periods for different types of convictions. It would affect courts handling expungement motions, people with misdemeanor and felony records, and the state agencies and employers that rely on criminal-history records. The bill also preserves exclusions for violent crimes and certain specified offenses, and it continues to condition relief on payment of court-imposed financial obligations unless waived or reduced by the court.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented floor debate or recorded vote sentiment to assess. Based on the bill’s substance and caption, the measure appears to be a criminal-justice reform proposal aimed at expanding second-chance relief through record expungement. The overall framing suggests a generally rehabilitative policy approach rather than a punitive one.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the expansion of expungement eligibility to people with multiple misdemeanor convictions and the shortening or clarification of waiting periods for relief. Supporters are likely to emphasize rehabilitation, reduced barriers to employment and housing, and the ability to clear older or lower-level offenses from public view. Opponents may focus on public-safety concerns, the breadth of relief for repeat offenders, and the continued exclusion of certain offenses such as crimes of violence and specified motor-vehicle or domestic-related offenses. The requirement that court debts be paid, unless waived, may also be a practical issue for applicants.