Senate Judiciary conference committee finalizes language for S 12 on sealed criminal records, sets statewide policy deadline

Members of the Senate Judiciary conference committee met May 28 to review revised conference-report language for S 12 that changes how sealed criminal history records may be disclosed and requires a statewide policy for law enforcement access and use.

The revised draft keeps a long list of exemptions that allow certain entities to use sealed records but adds a second layer of process before those records may be disclosed to third parties. "But before you disclose it to someone else ... there is a second layer of process that has to be gone through," said Patrick, legislative counsel in the Office of Legislative Council, as he walked members through the proposal.

Under the proposal, listed criminal-justice entities could continue to review sealed records for investigative or agency purposes without…