Rhode Island Bill To Expand Expungement Advances

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Rhode Island bill to expand expungement advanced Tuesday.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 10-5 for the legislation that would enable people to qualify for expungement of up to four felonies, but only for nonviolent offenses and not until 15 years after they have completed their final sentence.

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Crimes such as child endangerment, elder abuse and driving under the influence would not be eligible for expungement.

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Currently, first-time offenders qualify to have a felony expunged 10 years after completing their sentence if it is the only criminal charge on their record, according to the release.

The State Senate passed the bill in April.

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“A criminal record, even for relatively minor crimes, can be a life sentence of poverty, housing insecurity, unemployment and poor job prospects, and numerous other problems," state Sen. Jacob E. Bissaillon, one of the legislators who introduced the bill, said in a media release.

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"Expungement is an important tool for enabling our justice system to be truly rehabilitative," said Bissaillon, D-Providence.

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