Councilmember Henderson along with Councilmembers Allen, Nadeau, Cheh, Robert White, Pinto, Bonds, and Silverman recently introduced the Record Expungement Simplification to Offer Relief and Equity(“RESTORE”)Amendment Act. The goal of the legislation is to reduce barriers to employment and housing for those who have been arrested but not convicted, convicted of a crime that has been decriminalized, or who have served their time and are returning home.
The RESTORE Act, if enacted, would do the following:
Provides clear definitions of record expungement and record sealing
Provides a clear definition of the purposes for which a request to access or disclose records may be made
Creates a framework for expungement upon written motion for non-convictions
Facilitates automatic sealing for non-convictions;
Empowers the court, in its discretion, to seal records of felony convictions after the relevant waiting period has passed
Eliminates disqualifying convictions as a barrier to seeking and obtaining relief; and
Places time limits on the court’s determination of motions to seal.
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